Blue Fairy Book
Blue Fairy Book Blue Fairy Book
-228- other so dearly that they always walked about hand in hand whenever they went out together, and when Snow- white said, "We will never desert each other," Rose-red answered: "No, not as long as we live"; and the mother added: "Whatever one gets she shall share with the other." They often roamed about in the woods gathering berries and no beast offered to hurt them; on the contrary, they came up to them in the most confiding manner; the little hare would eat a cabbage leaf from their hands, the deer grazed beside them, the stag would bound past them merrily, and the birds remained on the branches and sang to them with all their might. No evil ever befell them; if they tarried late in the wood and night overtook them, they lay down together on the moss and slept till morning, and their mother knew they were quite safe, and never felt anxious about them. Once, when they had slept all night in the wood and had been wakened by the morning sun, they perceived a beautiful child in a shining white robe sitting close to their resting-place. The figure got up, looked at them kindly, but said nothing, and vanished into the wood. And when they looked round about them they became aware that they had slept quite close to a precipice, over which they would certainly have fallen had they gone on a few steps further in the darkness. And when they told their mother of their adventure, she said what they had seen must have been the angel that guards good children. Snow-white and Rose-red kept their mother's cottage so beautifully clean and neat that it was a pleasure to go into it. In summer Rose-red looked after the house, and every morning before her mother awoke she placed a bunch of flowers before the bed, from each tree a rose. In winter Snow-white lit the fire and put on the kettle, which was made of brass, but so beautifully polished that it shone like gold. In the evening when the snowflakes fell their mother said: "Snow-white, go and close the shutters," and they drew round the fire, while the mother put on her spectacles and read aloud from a big book and the two girls listened and sat and span. Beside them on the ground lay a little lamb, and behind them perched a little white dove with its head tucked under its wings. One evening as they sat thus cosily together someone
-229- knocked at the door as though he desired admittance. The mother said: "Rose-red, open the door quickly; it must be some traveler seeking shelter." Rose-red hastened to unbar the door, and thought she saw a poor man standing in the darkness outside; but it was no such thing, only a bear, who poked his thick black head through the door. Rose-red screamed aloud and sprang back in terror, the lamb began to bleat, the dove flapped its wings, and Snow-white ran and hid behind her mother's bed. But the bear began to speak, and said: "Don't be afraid: I won't hurt you. I am half frozen, and only wish to warm myself a little." "My poor bear," said the mother, "lie down by the fire, only take care you don't burn your fur." Then she called out: "Snow-white and Rose-red, come out; the bear will do you no harm; he is a good, honest creature." So they both came out of their hiding-places, and gradually the lamb and dove drew near too, and they all forgot their fear. The bear asked the children to beat the snow a little out of his fur, and they fetched a brush and scrubbed him till he was dry. Then the beast stretched himself in front of the fire, and growled quite happily and comfortably. The children soon grew quite at their ease with him, and led their helpless guest a fearful life. They tugged his fur with their hands, put their small feet on his back, and rolled him about here and there, or took a hazel wand and beat him with it; and if he growled they only laughed. The bear submitted to everything with the best possible good- nature, only when they went too far he cried: "Oh! children, spare my life! "Snow-white and Rose-red, Don't beat your lover dead." When it was time to retire for the night, and the others went to bed, the mother said to the bear: "You can lie there on the hearth, in heaven's name; it will be shelter for you from the cold and wet." As soon as day dawned the children led him out, and he trotted over the snow into the wood. From this time on the bear came every evening at the same hour, and lay down by the hearth and let the children play what pranks they liked with him;
- Page 187 and 188: -178- not succeed. Why does the Pri
- Page 189 and 190: -180- she had seen a flask of exact
- Page 191 and 192: whether they are able to do it, whi
- Page 193 and 194: -184- countrymen with civility, and
- Page 195 and 196: -186- It is not our business to ani
- Page 197 and 198: -188- THE WONDERFUL SHEEP ONCE upon
- Page 199 and 200: -190- She does not think me worthy
- Page 201 and 202: -192- really dead, she allowed the
- Page 203 and 204: -194- "I am the unhappiest princess
- Page 205 and 206: -196- "I was very fond of hunting,
- Page 207 and 208: -198- saw are the rivals or the ene
- Page 209 and 210: -200- splendor of her jewels. She h
- Page 211 and 212: -202- thanked her father, and began
- Page 213 and 214: -204- In vain did her husband repre
- Page 215 and 216: -206- little pebbles, he was disapp
- Page 217 and 218: -208- With that he dragged them out
- Page 219 and 220: -210- dress them; but, thinking tha
- Page 221 and 222: -212- orders to the army. After hav
- Page 223 and 224: -214- with great chests. He soon fo
- Page 225 and 226: -215- of Cassim, on learning the fa
- Page 227 and 228: -217- I know not where to pass the
- Page 229 and 230: -219- such haste? Will you not stay
- Page 231 and 232: -221- take the children out into th
- Page 233 and 234: -223- again. There is no other way
- Page 235 and 236: -225- staff hobbled out. Hansel and
- Page 237: -227- "but look, there swims a whit
- Page 241 and 242: -231- can't get away; and you silly
- Page 243 and 244: -233- lying there. Spare my life! w
- Page 245 and 246: -235- the rag containing the three
- Page 247 and 248: " 'Tis you; pass under, Princess fa
- Page 249 and 250: -239- from his heart when he saw he
- Page 251 and 252: -241- know, the very fairy who appe
- Page 253 and 254: -243- would it do him to be rich, o
- Page 255 and 256: -245- disposition; he was truly sor
- Page 257 and 258: -247- bad friends, when they heard
- Page 259 and 260: -249- they said, "he is a good and
- Page 261 and 262: -251- clothes were torn, and hangin
- Page 263 and 264: -253- Celia and Prince Darling thre
- Page 265 and 266: -255- sufficiently admire the numbe
- Page 267 and 268: -257- Her sister Anne went up upon
- Page 269 and 270: -259- went on: "After my death you
- Page 271 and 272: -261- whole ship decorated." Then h
- Page 273 and 274: -263- "Oh! yes," answered number tw
- Page 275 and 276: -265- most dear." And the King crie
- Page 277 and 278: -267- found nothing except an old c
- Page 279 and 280: -269- little tailor was fast asleep
- Page 281 and 282: -271- like a madman, he knocked his
- Page 283 and 284: -273- much attached to his young ma
- Page 285 and 286: -275- However, they soon returned,
- Page 287 and 288: -277- relief from pain and hunger m
-228-<br />
other so dearly that they always walked about hand in hand whenever they went out together, and when Snow- white said, "We<br />
will never desert each other," Rose-red answered: "No, not as long as we live"; and the mother added: "Whatever one gets she<br />
shall share with the other." They often roamed about in the woods gathering berries and no beast offered to hurt them; on the<br />
contrary, they came up to them in the most confiding manner; the little hare would eat a cabbage leaf from their hands, the deer<br />
grazed beside them, the stag would bound past them merrily, and the birds remained on the branches and sang to them with all<br />
their might.<br />
No evil ever befell them; if they tarried late in the wood and night overtook them, they lay down together on the moss and<br />
slept till morning, and their mother knew they were quite safe, and never felt anxious about them. Once, when they had slept all<br />
night in the wood and had been wakened by the morning sun, they perceived a beautiful child in a shining white robe sitting<br />
close to their resting-place. The figure got up, looked at them kindly, but said nothing, and vanished into the wood. And when<br />
they looked round about them they became aware that they had slept quite close to a precipice, over which they would certainly<br />
have fallen had they gone on a few steps further in the darkness. And when they told their mother of their adventure, she said<br />
what they had seen must have been the angel that guards good children.<br />
Snow-white and Rose-red kept their mother's cottage so beautifully clean and neat that it was a pleasure to go into it. In<br />
summer Rose-red looked after the house, and every morning before her mother awoke she placed a bunch of flowers before the<br />
bed, from each tree a rose. In winter Snow-white lit the fire and put on the kettle, which was made of brass, but so beautifully<br />
polished that it shone like gold. In the evening when the snowflakes fell their mother said: "Snow-white, go and close the<br />
shutters," and they drew round the fire, while the mother put on her spectacles and read aloud from a big book and the two girls<br />
listened and sat and span. Beside them on the ground lay a little lamb, and behind them perched a little white dove with its head<br />
tucked under its wings.<br />
One evening as they sat thus cosily together someone