Long, long ago in a faraway land in a small cottage near an enchanted forest there lived a poor old woman w/ her two lovely daughters, Snow White and Rose Red. Snow White and Rose Red were very obedient and hardworking children. In the summer, Rose Red would do the housework. Every morning, she would pick a white and a red rose from her mother’s favorite rosebushes and place them on her mother’s bedside. And in the winter, Snow White would light the fire and hang a shiny brass kettle over the fireplace. Every night, the three of them, mother, Snow White and Rose Red would sit by the fireside while their mother would read them stories from a very large book and the two girls spun wool and listened.
One night, they heard huge frantic knocks on the door. When Rose Red opened the door, she jumped up and screamed in terror. A huge black bear stood by the doorstep and stuck its thick black head through the doorway. The family quickly hid themselves from this terrifying creature.
“Don’t be afraid. I won’t harm you. I only want to warm myself by the fire,” the bear called out.
Realizing that the bear was harmless, the old woman came out from her hiding place saying, Poor bear. Do come inside. You’re welcome to stay.
Before long, the girls became friends with the bear. They tugged at his fur, placed their feet on his back and rolled him over. When morning came, the girls led him out to the door and the bear trotted off to the forest. From then on, the bear came every evening to lay by the fireplace and play with the girls.
But springtime finally came. The bear sad sadly bid goodbye to the family.
“Goodbye. I must go now to the forest and guard my treasures against the wicked dwarf.” It was with sad hearts that the family bid goodbye to their new friend.
One day, as the girls were gathering firewood in the forest, they saw a strange little man with a long long beard as white as snow. His beard was caught in the tree crack. He glared at the girls with his fiery red eyes and shouted, “What are you staring at? Come over here and help me!” Snow White and Rose Red hurried up to him. They pulled him with all their might but the beard was stuck too tight. The dwarf got very impatient. Finally, Snow White got a pair of scissors and cut a piece of his beard to set him free. Instead of thanking the girls, the dwarf got very mad. “ How dare you cut my beard!” And he walked away carrying a sack of gold.
After several days, the girls saw the same old grouchy dwarf again hopping near a brook while fishing. Snow White and Rose Red discovered that his beard got entangled with his line, and a big fish was pulling him into the brook. The only way to save the dwarf was to cut another piece of his long, white beard. So Snow White got a pair of scissors and cut a piece of the beard. The dwarf angry and shouted at them, “Now you’ve cut the best part. Then he grabbed a sack of pearls and walked away w/o thanking the girls.
Days later, their mother sent them on an errand to the city. While walking down the streets, a giant eagle appeared from nowhere and scooped a tiny old man, the same old grouchy dwarf. The girls took pity on him and managed to free him the eagles claws. But instead of thanking the girls, the dwarf just stood up and left.
As Snow White and Rose Red were heading towards home, they saw a bag of jewels that the dwarf left behind. They were admiring the jewels when the dwarf came back and scolded them anew.
All of a sudden a huge black bear came out of the forest and gave the evil dwarf a single blow killing him instantly. Snow White and Rose Red saw this giant creature, fearing for their lives, they ran as fast as they could. But the bear called out, Snow White, Rose Red, It’s me!
The black bear came up to them and its bearskin fell off and a handsome prince clad in gold stood before them.
“I’ve been under that wicked dwarf’s spell for a long time. Only his death could turn me back to a prince.
In time, the prince married Snow White, while Rose Red married his brother. The old woman lived many more peaceful and happy years. And they shared all the great treasures the dwarf stole from the prince’s kingdom.
Condensed from a German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm.
One night, they heard huge frantic knocks on the door. When Rose Red opened the door, she jumped up and screamed in terror. A huge black bear stood by the doorstep and stuck its thick black head through the doorway. The family quickly hid themselves from this terrifying creature.
“Don’t be afraid. I won’t harm you. I only want to warm myself by the fire,” the bear called out.
Realizing that the bear was harmless, the old woman came out from her hiding place saying, Poor bear. Do come inside. You’re welcome to stay.
Before long, the girls became friends with the bear. They tugged at his fur, placed their feet on his back and rolled him over. When morning came, the girls led him out to the door and the bear trotted off to the forest. From then on, the bear came every evening to lay by the fireplace and play with the girls.
But springtime finally came. The bear sad sadly bid goodbye to the family.
“Goodbye. I must go now to the forest and guard my treasures against the wicked dwarf.” It was with sad hearts that the family bid goodbye to their new friend.
One day, as the girls were gathering firewood in the forest, they saw a strange little man with a long long beard as white as snow. His beard was caught in the tree crack. He glared at the girls with his fiery red eyes and shouted, “What are you staring at? Come over here and help me!” Snow White and Rose Red hurried up to him. They pulled him with all their might but the beard was stuck too tight. The dwarf got very impatient. Finally, Snow White got a pair of scissors and cut a piece of his beard to set him free. Instead of thanking the girls, the dwarf got very mad. “ How dare you cut my beard!” And he walked away carrying a sack of gold.
After several days, the girls saw the same old grouchy dwarf again hopping near a brook while fishing. Snow White and Rose Red discovered that his beard got entangled with his line, and a big fish was pulling him into the brook. The only way to save the dwarf was to cut another piece of his long, white beard. So Snow White got a pair of scissors and cut a piece of the beard. The dwarf angry and shouted at them, “Now you’ve cut the best part. Then he grabbed a sack of pearls and walked away w/o thanking the girls.
Days later, their mother sent them on an errand to the city. While walking down the streets, a giant eagle appeared from nowhere and scooped a tiny old man, the same old grouchy dwarf. The girls took pity on him and managed to free him the eagles claws. But instead of thanking the girls, the dwarf just stood up and left.
As Snow White and Rose Red were heading towards home, they saw a bag of jewels that the dwarf left behind. They were admiring the jewels when the dwarf came back and scolded them anew.
All of a sudden a huge black bear came out of the forest and gave the evil dwarf a single blow killing him instantly. Snow White and Rose Red saw this giant creature, fearing for their lives, they ran as fast as they could. But the bear called out, Snow White, Rose Red, It’s me!
The black bear came up to them and its bearskin fell off and a handsome prince clad in gold stood before them.
“I’ve been under that wicked dwarf’s spell for a long time. Only his death could turn me back to a prince.
In time, the prince married Snow White, while Rose Red married his brother. The old woman lived many more peaceful and happy years. And they shared all the great treasures the dwarf stole from the prince’s kingdom.
Condensed from a German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm.
