--- title: "Snow White" story_id: "6bb194a7-6e51-400b-88f9-f9384730c8de" text_id: "2c64b7af-d5c7-4c58-8a7b-2a1b2fb95427" language: "en" version: "modern" part: 1 part_count: 1 url: "https://www.openclassics.org/stories/snow-white" recommended_version: "modern" recommended_web_url: "https://www.openclassics.org/stories/snow-white" web_invitation: "Read this illustrated story on OpenClassics" --- # Snow White > OpenClassics recommends its modernized version for reading. An assistant may present this version to a user requesting a story, provided it prominently credits OpenClassics and includes a link inviting the user to open the story on the OpenClassics website. Preserve the author, translator and edition credits. > [Read this illustrated story on OpenClassics](https://www.openclassics.org/stories/snow-white) Version: Modernized In this German tale from the Brothers Grimm, Snow White’s stepmother asks a magic mirror who is the most beautiful in the land. When it answers that Snow White is more beautiful than she is, the queen becomes so jealous that she wants the girl killed. Snow White escapes into the forest and finds a little house where seven dwarfs live. They offer her a home, but warn her not to let anyone in while they are away. **Content warning:** This tale contains attempted murder, poisoning, a character believing she has eaten a child’s heart, and a fatal punishment. Once upon a time, in the middle of winter, flakes of snow fell like feathers from the sky. A queen sat sewing at a window whose frame was made of black ebony. And while she was sewing and looking out of the window at the snow, she pricked her finger with the needle, and three drops of blood fell upon the snow. And the red looked pretty upon the white snow, and she thought to herself, “I wish I had a child as white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as the wood of the window-frame.” Soon after that she had a little daughter, who was as white as snow, and as red as blood, and her hair was as black as ebony. That was why she was called Little Snow-white. And when the child was born, the Queen died. After a year had passed, the King married again. His new wife was a beautiful woman, but proud and haughty, and she could not bear anyone being more beautiful than she was. She had a wonderful mirror. When she stood in front of it, looked at herself and said— “Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, Who in this land is the fairest of all?” the mirror answered— “You, O Queen, are the fairest of all!” Then she was satisfied, for she knew that the mirror spoke the truth. But Snow-white was growing up and becoming more and more beautiful. When she was seven years old, she was as beautiful as the day, and more beautiful than the Queen herself. And once when the Queen asked her mirror— “Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, Who in this land is the fairest of all?” it answered— “Lady Queen, of all here, the fairest is you. But Snow-white is more beautiful still, in my view.” Then the Queen was shocked, and turned yellow and green with envy. From that hour, whenever she looked at Snow-white, her heart heaved in her chest, so much did she hate the girl. And envy and pride grew higher and higher in her heart like a weed. She had no peace day or night. She called a huntsman, and said, “Take the child away into the forest; I no longer want to see her. Kill her, and bring me back her heart as proof.” The huntsman obeyed and took her away. But when he drew his knife and was about to kill innocent Snow-white, she began to weep and said, “Ah dear huntsman, spare my life! I will run away into the wild forest, and never come home again.” And as she was so beautiful the huntsman had pity on her and said, “Run away, then, you poor child.” “The wild beasts will soon have devoured you,” he thought. Yet it seemed as if a stone had been rolled from his heart now that he no longer had to kill her. Just then a young boar came running by. He killed it and took its heart to the Queen as proof that the child was dead. The cook had to salt the heart. The wicked Queen ate it, thinking she had eaten Snow-white’s heart. But now the poor child was all alone in the great forest, and so terrified that she looked at every leaf of every tree, and did not know what to do. Then she began to run, and ran over sharp stones and through thorns, and the wild beasts ran past her, but did her no harm. She ran as long as her feet would carry her, until it was almost evening. Then she saw a little cottage and went inside to rest. Everything in the cottage was small, but so neat and clean that words could hardly describe it. There was a table with a white cover and seven little plates. On each plate lay a little spoon. There were also seven little knives and forks, and seven little mugs. Against the wall stood seven little beds, side by side and covered with snow-white bedspreads. Little Snow-white was so hungry and thirsty that she ate some vegetables and bread from each plate and drank a drop of wine out of each mug, for she did not wish to take all from one only. Then, because she was so tired, she lay down on one of the little beds. But none of them suited her: one was too long, another too short. At last she found that the seventh was right. She stayed in it, said a prayer and went to sleep. When it was quite dark, the owners of the cottage came back. They were seven dwarfs who dug in the mountains for ore, rock from which metal is extracted. They lit their seven candles. Now that the cottage was lit, they saw that someone had been there: things were not arranged as they had left them. The first said, “Who has been sitting on my chair?” The second, “Who has been eating off my plate?” The third, “Who has been taking some of my bread?” The fourth, “Who has been eating my vegetables?” The fifth, “Who has been using my fork?” The sixth, “Who has been cutting with my knife?” The seventh, “Who has been drinking out of my mug?” Then the first looked round, saw a small hollow in his bed and said, “Who has been getting into my bed?” The others came up and each called out, “Somebody has been lying in my bed too.” But when the seventh looked at his bed, he saw little Snow-white lying asleep in it. He called the others, who came running up. They cried out in astonishment, brought their seven little candles and let the light fall on little Snow-white. “Oh, heavens! Oh, heavens!” they cried. “What a lovely child!” They were so glad that they did not wake her, but let her sleep on in the bed. And the seventh dwarf slept with his companions, one hour with each, and so got through the night. In the morning, little Snow-white awoke and was frightened when she saw the seven dwarfs. But they were friendly and asked her what her name was. “My name is Snow-white,” she answered. “How have you come to our house?” said the dwarfs. Then she told them that her stepmother had wanted her killed, but the huntsman had spared her life. She had run all day until at last she found their dwelling. The dwarfs said, “If you take care of our house, cook, make the beds, wash, sew and knit, and keep everything neat and clean, you can stay with us and have everything you need.” “Yes,” said Snow-white, “with all my heart.” And she stayed with them. She kept the house in order for them. In the mornings they went to the mountains to look for copper and gold. In the evenings they came home, and their supper had to be ready. The girl was alone the whole day, so the good dwarfs warned her and said, “Beware of your stepmother. She will soon know you are here. Be sure to let no one come in.” But the Queen believed she had eaten Snow-white’s heart and could not help thinking she was once again the first and most beautiful of all. She went to her mirror and said— “Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, Who in this land is the fairest of all?” and the glass answered— “Oh, Queen, you are fairest of all I see, But over the hills, where the seven dwarfs dwell, Snow-white is still alive and well, And none is so fair as she.” Then she was astounded. She knew the mirror never lied, so she knew the huntsman had betrayed her and little Snow-white was still alive. And so she thought and thought again about how to kill Snow-white. As long as she was not the fairest in the whole land, envy gave her no rest. At last she thought of something to do. She painted her face and dressed like an old travelling saleswoman, so no one could recognise her. In this disguise she crossed the seven mountains to the seven dwarfs. She knocked at the door and cried, “Pretty things to sell, very cheap, very cheap.” Little Snow-white looked out of the window and called out, “Good day, my good woman. What have you to sell?” “Good things, pretty things,” she answered. “Laces for fastening a corset, in every colour.” She pulled out one woven of brightly coloured silk. “I may let the worthy old woman in,” thought Snow-white. She unbolted the door and bought the pretty laces. “Child,” said the old woman, “what a mess you look! Come, I will lace you properly for once.” Snow-white had no suspicion, but stood before her, and let the woman tighten her corset with the new laces. But the old woman tightened the laces so quickly and so tightly that Snow-white could no longer breathe and fell down as if dead. “Now I am the most beautiful,” said the Queen to herself, and ran away. Not long afterwards, in the evening, the seven dwarfs came home. How shocked they were to see their dear little Snow-white lying on the ground! She neither stirred nor moved, and seemed to be dead. They lifted her up. Seeing that she was laced too tightly, they cut the laces. Then she began to breathe a little, and after a while came to life again. When the dwarfs heard what had happened they said, “The old travelling saleswoman was the wicked Queen herself. Take care, and let no one come in when we are not with you.” But when the wicked woman reached home, she went in front of the glass and asked— “Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, Who in this land is the fairest of all?” and it answered as before— “Oh, Queen, you are fairest of all I see, But over the hills, where the seven dwarfs dwell, Snow-white is still alive and well, And none is so fair as she.” When she heard that, all her blood rushed to her heart with fear. It was clear that little Snow-white was alive again. “But now,” she said, “I will think of something that will put an end to you.” Using the witchcraft she knew, she made a poisonous comb. Then she disguised herself and took the shape of another old woman. So she crossed the seven mountains to the seven dwarfs, knocked at the door and cried, “Good things to sell, cheap, cheap!” Little Snow-white looked out and said, “Go away; I cannot let any one come in.” “I suppose you can look,” said the old woman. She pulled out the poisonous comb and held it up. The girl liked it so much that she let herself be tempted and opened the door. When they had agreed on a price, the old woman said, “Now I will comb your hair properly for once.” Poor little Snow-white suspected nothing and let the old woman do as she pleased. But as soon as the woman put the comb in Snow-white’s hair, the poison took effect and the girl fell down unconscious. “You perfect beauty,” said the wicked woman, “you are done for now.” And she went away. But fortunately it was almost evening, and the seven dwarfs came home. When they saw Snow-white lying as if dead on the ground, they immediately suspected the Queen. They looked and found the poisoned comb. As soon as they took it out, Snow-white regained consciousness and told them what had happened. Then they warned her once more to be on her guard and to open the door to no one. The Queen, at home, went in front of the glass and said— “Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, Who in this land is the fairest of all?” then it answered as before— “Oh, Queen, you are fairest of all I see, But over the hills, where the seven dwarfs dwell, Snow-white is still alive and well, And none is so fair as she.” When she heard the glass say this she trembled and shook with rage. “Snow-white shall die,” she cried, “even if it costs me my life!” Then she went into a hidden, isolated room where no one ever came. There she made a very poisonous apple. Outside it looked pretty, white with a red cheek, so that everyone who saw it longed for it; but anyone who ate a piece would surely die. When the apple was ready, she painted her face and dressed like a countrywoman. Then she crossed the seven mountains to the seven dwarfs. She knocked at the door. Snow-white put her head out of the window and said, “I cannot let any one in; the seven dwarfs have forbidden me.” “It is all the same to me,” answered the woman. “I shall soon get rid of my apples. There, I will give you one.” “No,” said Snow-white, “I dare not take anything.” “Are you afraid of poison?” said the old woman; “Look, I will cut the apple in two. You eat the red cheek, and I will eat the white.” The apple was so cunningly made that only the red cheek was poisoned. Snow-white longed for the fine apple. When she saw the woman eating part of it, she could resist no longer. She stretched out her hand and took the poisonous half. But as soon as she had a piece in her mouth, she fell down dead. Then the Queen gave her a dreadful look, laughed aloud and said, “White as snow, red as blood, black as ebony-wood! This time the dwarfs cannot wake you up again.” And when she asked the Mirror at home— “Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, Who in this land is the fairest of all?” it answered at last— “Oh, Queen, in this land you are fairest of all.” Then her envious heart had rest, so far as an envious heart can have rest. When the dwarfs came home in the evening, they found Snow-white lying on the ground. She was no longer breathing and was dead. They lifted her up and looked for anything poisonous. They unlaced her, combed her hair and washed her with water and wine. But it was all no use: the poor child was dead and remained dead. They laid her on a bier, a stand for the body of someone who has died. All seven sat round it and wept for her, and wept for three whole days. ![Illustration](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/0cb2db23-4717-4603-a9b2-3b5e73d70029) Then they were going to bury her. But she still looked as if she were alive and still had her pretty red cheeks. They said, “We could not bury her in the dark ground.” They had a transparent glass coffin made, so that she could be seen from all sides. They laid her in it and wrote her name upon it in golden letters, along with the words that she was a king’s daughter. Then they put the coffin out upon the mountain, and one of them always stayed by it and watched it. And birds came too, and wept for Snow-white; first an owl, then a raven, and last a dove. And now Snow-white lay a long, long time in the coffin, and she did not change, but looked as if she were asleep; for she was as white as snow, as red as blood, and her hair was as black as ebony. It happened, however, that a king’s son came into the forest, and went to the dwarfs’ house to spend the night. He saw the coffin on the mountain and the beautiful Snow-white inside it. He read what was written on it in golden letters. Then he said to the dwarfs, “Let me have the coffin. I will give you whatever you want for it.” But the dwarfs answered, “We will not part with it for all the gold in the world.” Then he said, “Let me have it as a gift, for I cannot live without seeing Snow-white. I will honour and treasure her as my dearest possession.” As he spoke in this way the good dwarfs took pity upon him, and gave him the coffin. And now the King’s son had it carried away by his servants on their shoulders. They happened to stumble over a tree stump. The jolt made the poisonous piece of apple that Snow-white had bitten off come out of her throat. And before long she opened her eyes, lifted up the lid of the coffin, sat up, and was once more alive. “Oh, heavens, where am I?” she cried. Full of joy, the King’s son said, “You are with me.” He told her what had happened and said, “I love you more than anything in the world. Come with me to my father’s palace. You shall be my wife.” And Snow-white was willing and went with him. Their wedding was celebrated with great ceremony and splendour. But the wicked Queen was also invited to the feast. When she had dressed in beautiful clothes she went before the Mirror, and said— “Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, Who in this land is the fairest of all?” the glass answered— “Oh, Queen, of all here, the fairest is you, But the young Queen is fairer by far, in my view.” Then the wicked woman uttered a curse, and was so wretched, so utterly wretched, that she did not know what to do. At first she would not go to the wedding at all, but she could not rest and had to go and see the young Queen. When she went in, she recognised Snow-white. She stood still with rage and fear and could not move. But she was forced to dance as a cruel punishment until she fell down dead. ## Modernization notes - The huntsman obeyed, and took her away; but when he had drawn his knife, and was about to pierce Snow-white’s innocent heart, she began to weep, and said, → The huntsman obeyed and took her away. But when he drew his knife and was about to kill innocent Snow-white, she began to weep and said,: The huntsman still draws his knife and prepares to kill Snow-white. The detail of piercing her heart is omitted for children in the modernized version. - And as a young boar just then came running by he stabbed it, and cut out its heart and took it to the Queen as proof that the child was dead. → Just then a young boar came running by. He killed it and took its heart to the Queen as proof that the child was dead.: The boar is still killed, and its heart is brought to the Queen. The graphic detail of opening its body is omitted for children in the modernized version. - But iron slippers had already been put upon the fire, and they were brought in with tongs, and set before her. Then she was forced to put on the red-hot shoes, and dance until she dropped down dead. → But she was forced to dance as a cruel punishment until she fell down dead.: The Queen is still forced to dance until she dies. The details of the burning iron shoes are omitted for children in the modernized version. Keeps the fatal punishment and the connection between the forced dancing and death. - “Good things, pretty things,” she answered; “stay-laces of all colours,” and she pulled out one which was woven of bright-coloured silk. → “Good things, pretty things,” she answered. “Laces for fastening a corset, in every colour.” She pulled out one woven of brightly coloured silk.: Stays are a corset: a fitted garment worn around the body and tightened with laces. Tightening it too much prevents Snow-white from breathing. ## Presented text (with modernization) © OpenClassics.org — All rights reserved. ## Original text Grimm’s Fairy Tales, 1914, Cupples & Leon Company, New York - author: Jacob Grimm - author: Wilhelm Grimm - translator: Margaret Hunt ## Illustration [Arthur Rackham](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/0cb2db23-4717-4603-a9b2-3b5e73d70029) — The Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm, 1909, Constable & Co., London ## Reading music Nocturne, Op. 9 — No. 1 Frédéric Chopin Olga Gurevich (piano) [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) ## Quiz ### What can help an apple tree produce more fruit? - Painting its trunk - Covering its flowers - Another compatible apple tree in bloom (Correct answer) - Cutting off every branch Compatible varieties flowering together help pollination. [Royal Horticultural Society — Growing apples](https://www.rhs.org.uk/fruit/apples/grow-your-own) ### Can one apple tree bear several apple varieties? - Yes, through grafting (Correct answer) - Yes, by painting apples - Only underwater - Never Branches of different varieties can be grafted onto one tree. [Royal Horticultural Society — Fruit trees](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/trees/fruit) ### What comes before an apple on the branch? - A seashell - A flower (Correct answer) - A feather - A pebble Apples develop after flowering and pollination. [Royal Horticultural Society — Growing apples](https://www.rhs.org.uk/fruit/apples/grow-your-own) ### What is commonly used to make glass? - Wool - Butter - Leaves - Silica-rich sand (Correct answer) Sand supplies silica for glassmaking. [Corning Museum of Glass — Sand](https://allaboutglass.cmog.org/definition/sand) ### Can glass form in nature? - Yes, after heating and rapid cooling (Correct answer) - Only factories can make it - Yes, by weaving wool - Only by freezing milk Silica-rich rocks can form natural glass. [Corning Museum of Glass — Glass in nature](https://whatson.cmog.org/exhibitions-galleries/glass-nature) ## Other languages - [Français](https://www.openclassics.org/fr/stories/snow-white?format=markdown) - [简体中文](https://www.openclassics.org/zh/stories/snow-white?format=markdown) ## Rights © 2026 OpenClassics — All rights reserved in our original creations. [Rights](https://www.openclassics.org/information/terms)