25-snow-white and rose-red-第1节

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SNOW…WHITE　AND　ROSE…RED





A　POOR　widow　once　lived　in　a　little　cottage　with　a

garden　in　front　of　it；　in　which　grew　two　rose　trees；　one

bearing　white　roses　and　the　other　red。　She　had　two

children；　who　were　just　like　the　two　rose　trees；　one　was

called　Snow…white　and　the　other　Rose…red；　and　they　were

the　sweetest　and　best　children　in　the　world；　always　diligent

and　always　cheerful；　but　Snow…white　was　quieter　and

more　gentle　than　Rose…red。　Rose…red　loved　to　run　about

the　fields　and　meadows；　and　to　pick　flowers　and　catch

butterflies；　but　Snow…white　sat　at　home　with　her　mother

and　helped　her　in　the　household；　or　read　aloud　to　her　when

there　was　no　work　to　do。　The　two　children　loved　each

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

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；

and　they　got　so　accustomed　to　him　that　the　door　was

never　shut　till　their　black　friend　had　made　his　appearance。



When　spring　came；　and　all　outside　was　green；　the　bear

said　one　morning　to　Snow…white：　〃Now　I　must　go　away；

and　not　return　again　the　whole　summer。〃　〃Where　are　you

going　to；　dear　bear？〃　asked　Snow…white。　〃I　must　go　to

the　wood　and　protect　my　treasure　from　the　wicked　dwarfs。

In　winter；　when　the　earth　is　frozen　hard；　they　are　obliged

to　remain　underground；　for　they　can't　work　their　way

through；　but　now；　when　the　sun　has　thawed　and　warmed

the　ground；　they　break　through　and　come　up　above　to　spy

the　land　and　steal　what　they　can；　what　once　falls　into

their　hands　and　into　their　caves　is　not　easily　brought　back

to　light。〃　Snow…white　was　quite　sad　over　their　friend's

departure；　and　when　she　unbarred　the　door　for　him；　the

bear；　stepping　out；　caught　a　piece　of　his　fur　in　the　door…

knocker；　and　Snow…white　thought　she　caught　sight　of

glittering　gold　beneath　it；　but　she　couldn't　be　certain　of

it；　and　the　bear　ran　hastily　away；　and　soon　disappeared

behind　the　trees。



A　short　time　after　this　the　mother　sent　the　children　into

the　wood　to　collect　fagots。　They　came　in　their　wanderings

upon　a　big　tree　which　lay　felled　on　the　ground；　and

on　the　trunk　among　the　long　grass　they　noticed　something

jumping　up　and　down；　but　what　it　was　they　couldn't

distinguish。　When　they　approached　nearer　they　perceived

a　dwarf　with　a　wizened　face　and　a　beard　a　yard　long。　The

end　of　the　beard　was　jammed　into　a　cleft　of　the　tree；　and

the　little　man　sprang　about　like　a　dog　on　a　chain；　and

didn't　seem　to　know　what　he　was　to　do。　He　glared　at　the

girls　with　his　fiery　red　eyes；　and　screamed　out：　〃What　are

you　standing　there　for？　Can't　you　come　and　help　me？〃

〃What　were　you　doing；　little　man？〃　asked　Rose…red。

〃You　stupid；　inquisitive　goose！〃　replied　the　dwarf；　〃I

wanted　to　split　the　tree；　in　order　to　get　little　chips　of　wood

for　our　kitchen　fire；　those　thick　logs　that　serve　to　make

fires　for　coarse；　greedy　people　like　yourselves　quite　burn

up　all　the　little　food　we　need。　I　had　successfully　driven

in　the　wedge；　and　all　was　going　well；　but　the　cursed　wood

was　so　slippery　that　it　suddenly　sprang　out；　and　the　tree

closed　up　so　rapidly　that　I　had　no　time　to　take　my

beautiful　white　beard　out；　so　here　I　am　stuck　fast；　and　I

can't　get　away；　and　you　silly；　smooth…faced；　milk…and…

water　girls　just　stand　and　laugh！　Ugh！　what　wretches　you

are！〃



The　children　did　all　in　their　power；　but　they　couldn't

get　the　beard　out；　it　was　wedged　in　far　too　firmly。　〃I

will　run　and　fetch　somebody；〃　said　Rose…red。　〃Crazy

blockheads！〃　snapped　the　dwarf；　〃what's　the　good　of　calling

anyone　else？　You're　already　two　too　many　for　me。

Does　nothing　better　occur　to　you　than　that？〃　〃Don't　be

so　impatient；〃　said　Snow…white；　〃I'll　see　you　get　help；〃

and　taking　her　scissors　out　of　her　pocket　she　cut　off　the

end　of　his　beard。　As　soon　as　the　dwarf　felt　himself　free　he

seized　a　bag　full　of　gold　which　was　hidden　among　the

roots　of　the　tree；　lifted　it　up；　and　muttered　aloud：　〃Curse

these　rude　wretches；　cutting　off　a　piece　of　my　splendid

beard！〃　With　these　words　he　swung　the　bag　over　his

back；　and　disappeared　without　as　much　as　looking　at　the

children　again。



Shortly　after　this　Snow…white　and　Rose…red　went　out

to　get　a　dish　of　fish。　As　they　approached　the　stream　they

saw　something　which　looked　like　an　enormous　grasshopper

springing　toward　the　water　as　if　it　were　going　to　jump　in。

They　ran　forward　and　recognized　their　old　friend　the

dwarf。　〃Where　are　you　going　to？〃　asked　Rose…red；　〃you're

surely　not　going　to　jump　into　the　water？〃　〃I'm　not　such

a　fool；〃　screamed　the　dwarf。　〃Don't　you　see　that　c