- ro: Albă ca Zăpada
- en: Snow White: 1, 2
- fr: Blanche-Neige
- de: Schneewittchen
- it Biancaneve
- es: Blancanieves y los siete enanitos
- pt: Branca de Neve
- nl: Sneeuwwitje
- sv: Snövit: 1, 2, 3, 4
- eo: Neĝulino
ro
Albă ca Zăpada
UN BASM DE JACOB ŞI WILHELM GRIMM
A fost odată ca niciodată un împărat şi o împărăteasă, amândoi tineri şi frumoşi. Într-o iarnă, pe când neaua cădea din înaltul nemărginit al cerului, cu fulgi mari şi pufoşi, se întâmplă ca împărăteasa să coasă lângă o fereastră cu pervaz negru, de abanos. Şi cum cosea ea aşa, privind din când în când la fulgii de zăpadă, se înţepă cu acul în deget.
Trei picături de sânge căzură atunci pe covorul de omăt. Roşul sângelui arăta atât de frumos pe albul imaculat al zăpezii că împărăteasa spuse în sinea ei: „Ce n-aş da să am o copilă cu faţa albă ca zăpada, cu buzele roşii ca sângele şi cu părul negru ca abanosul!”
en
SNOWWHITE
THERE was once a queen who had no children, and it grieved her sorely. One winter's afternoon she was sitting by the window sewing when she pricked her finger, and three drops of blood fell on the snow. Then she thought to herself:
"Ah, what would I give to have a daughter with skin as white as snow and cheeks as red as blood."
LITTLE SNOW-WHITE.
Once upon a time in the middle of winter, when the flakes of snow were falling like feathers from the sky, a queen sat at a window sewing, and the frame of the window was made of black ebony. And whilst 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, "Would that I had a child as white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as the wood of the window-frame."
ro
Nu peste multă vreme, împărăteasa născu o fetiţă întocmai cum şi-o dorise: cu faţa albă ca zăpada, cu gura roşie ca sângele şi cu părul negru ca abanosul. Şi ]i dădură numele de Albă-ca-Zăpada! Însă, după ce o aduse pe lume pe fetiţă, împărăteasa muri.
Cum trecu anul, împăratul îşi luă altă soţie. Noua împărăteasă era frumoasă ca o zână, dar nespus de trufaşă şi n-ar fi îngăduit nici în ruptul capului s-o întreacă altcineva în frumuseţe. Împărăteasa avea o oglindă fermecată şi ori de câte ori privea în ea, nu uita s-o întrebe aşa:
Zi-mi, oglindă-oglinjoară,
Cine e cea mai
frumoasă din ţară?
en
After a while a little daughter came to her with skin as white as snow and cheeks as red as blood. So they called her Snowwhite.
But before Snowwhite had grown up, her mother, the Queen, died and her father married again, a most beautiful princess who was very vain of her beauty and jealous of all women who might be thought as beautiful as she was. And every morning she used to stand before her mirror and say:
"Mirror, mirror, on the wall,
Who is the fairest of us all?"
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; and she was therefore called Little Snow-white. And when the child was born, the Queen died.
After a year had passed the King took to himself another wife. She was a beautiful woman, but proud and haughty, and she could not bear that any one else should surpass her in beauty. She had a wonderful looking-glass, and when she stood in front of it and looked at herself in it, and said—
"Looking-glass, Looking-glass, on the wall,
Who in this land is the fairest of all? "
ro
Iar oglinda îi răspundea:
Tu eşti, Crăiasă,
tu eşti cea mai frumoasă!
Auzind-o, împărăteasa nu mai putea de fericire, fiindcă ştia că oglinda nu spune decât adevărul.
Albă-ca-Zăpada însă creştea şi se făcea din ce în ce mai frumoasă. Într-o zi, când copila împlini şapte anişori se făcuse neasemuit de frumoasă, ca o rază de lumină. Iar frumuseţea împărătesei începu a păli înaintea ei!
Într-o bună zi, împărăteasa îşi întrebă din nou oglinda:
Zi-mi, oglindă-oglinjoară,
Cine e cea mai frumoasă din ţară?
Oglinda îi răspunse aşa:
Frumoasă eşti, Crăiasă, dar de o frumuseţe rece,
Iar Albă-ca-Zăpada de mii de ori
te-ntrece!
en
And the mirror always used to reply:
"Queen, Queen, on thy throne,
The greatest beauty is thine own."
But Snowwhite grew fairer and fairer every year, till at last one day when the Queen in the morning spoke to her mirror and said:
"Mirror, mirror, on the wall,
Who is the fairest of us all?"
the mirror replied:
"Queen, Queen, on thy throne,
Snowwhite's the fairest thou must own."
the looking-glass answered—
"Thou, O Queen, art the fairest of all!"
Then she was satisfied, for she knew that the looking-glass spoke the truth.
But Snow-white was growing up, and grew more and more beautiful; and 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 looking-glass—
"Looking-glass, Looking-glass, on the wall,
Who in this land is the fairest of all?"
it answered —
"Thou art fairer than all who are here, Lady Queen."
But more beautiful still is Snow-white, as I ween."
ro
La auzul acestor vorbe, împărăteasa cea rea se îngălbeni de ciudă. Pizma creştea în inima ei ca buruiana cea rea şi se cuibărise atât de adânc, încât împărăteasa nu mai avea linişte nici ziua, nici noaptea. Şi uite aşa trecură încă vreo câţiva ani… În cele din urmă, împărăteasa nu mai răbdă s-o vadă la faţă pe copilă. Chemă degrabă un vânător iscusit şi îi porunci aşa:
– Ia fata asta şi du-o în adâncul pădurii, că nu rabd s-o mai văd în faţa ochilor! Omoar-o şi, drept mărturie că mi-ai împlinit porunca, să-mi aduci inima ei!
en
Then the Queen grew terribly jealous of Snowwhite and thought and thought how she could get rid of her, till at last she went to a hunter and engaged him for a large sum of money to take Snowwhite out into the forest and there kill her and bring back her heart.
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 breast, she hated the girl so much.
And envy and pride grew higher and higher in her heart like a weed, so that she had no peace day or night. She called a huntsman, and said, "Take the child away into the forest; I will no longer have her in my sight. Kill her, and bring me back her heart as a token."
ro
Vânătorul nu ieşea de obicei din porunca împărătesei, aşa că se supuse. Dar atunci când ajunse în pădure şi scoase cuţitul de la brâu, pregătindu-se să străpungă inima nevinovată a fetei, sărmana copilă începu să plângă în hohote şi să se roage:
– Vânătorule dragă, cruţă-mi viaţa şi îţi făgăduiesc c-o să-mi pierd urma în codru şi n-o să mă mai întorc niciodată acasă!
Vânătorul se învoi, pentru că era om bun la suflet şi i se făcuse tare milă de copilă. În sinea lui însă gândi cu mare părere de rău: „Biata de tine, până la urmă tot or să te sfâşie fiarele sălbatice!…”
en
But when the hunter had taken Snowwhite out into the forest and thought to kill her, she was so beautiful that his heart failed him, and he let her go, telling her she must not, for his sake and for her own, return to the King's palace. Then he killed a deer and took back the heart to the Queen, telling her that it was the heart of Snowwhite.
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, "Ah, dear huntsman, leave me 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," thought he, and yet it seemed as if a stone had been rolled from his heart since it was no longer needful for him to kill her. 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 a proof that the child was dead. The cook had to salt this, and the wicked Queen ate it, and thought she had eaten the heart of Snow-white.
ro
Totuşi, parcă îşi luase o piatră de pe inimă că nu trebuia să îşi mânjească mâinile cu sânge nevinovat. Şi cum tocmai atunci se întâmpla să treacă pe acolo în fugă un porc mistreţ, îl înjunghie şi, scoţându-i inima, o duse degrabă împărătesei drept mărturie că îi îndeplinise porunca.
Biata copilă rămăsese singură-singurică în pădurea cea nesfârşită şi, era atât de înfricoşată, că privea la mulţimea frunzelor de pe copaci, de parcă de acolo ar fi putut să se ivească vreo primejdie. De teamă începu să alerge. Gonea întruna sărind peste bolovani colţuroşi şi peste mărăcini. Fiarele sălbatice treceau pe dinaintea ei, dar nu îi făceau niciun rău.
Şi alergă ea aşa, cât o ţinură picioarele, până când, la un moment dat, i se înfăţişă dinaintea ochilor o căsuţă mititică, nespus de drăgălaşă.
Albă-ca-Zăpada intră degrabă în ea ca să se odihnească.
În căsuţă, toate lucrurile erau tare mititele, dar atât de gingaşe şi de curate de îţi venea mai mare dragul să le priveşti. Pe măsuţă era rânduite şapte farfurii mici, iar lângă fiecare farfurie-n parte erau aşezate: un cuţitaş, o furculiţă şi un păhărel, cât un degetar. Iar de-a lungul unui perete erau aliniate şapte pătuţuri aşternute cu cearşafuri albe ca neaua.
Cum era tare flămândă şi însetată, Albă-ca-Zăpada ciuguli câte un pic din fiecare farfurie şi bău din toate păhărelele, fiindcă nu voia să ia mâncarea ori băutura doar de la unul dintre stăpânii căsuţei. Apoi, pentru că se simţea grozav de obosită, Albă-ca-Zăpada încercă să se culce. Dar unul dintre pătuţuri era prea scurt, altul prea lat, altul prea tare. Aşa că se culcă în cel de-al şaptelea pătuţ, mai potrivit pe măsura ei.
Când se întunecă de-a binelea, sosiră şi stăpânii căsuţei. Aceştia erau şapte pitici harnici care sfredeleau munţii, scormonind în măruntaiele lor după tot felul de metale şi pietre preţioase. După ce aprinseră cele şapte lumânărele, piticii îşi dădură seama de îndată că cineva străin le scotocise peste tot, fiindcă lucrurile nu se mai aflau la locul lor, aşa cum le lăsaseră.
en
Snowwhite wandered on and on till she got through the forest and came to a mountain hut and knocked at the door, but she got no reply. She was so tired that she lifted up the latch and walked in, and there she saw three little beds and three little chairs and three little cupboards all ready for use. And she went up to the first bed and lay down upon it, but it was so hard that she couldn't rest; and then she went up to the second bed and lay down upon that, but that was so soft that she got too hot and couldn't go to sleep. So she tried the third bed, but that was neither too hard nor too soft, but suited her exactly; and she fell asleep there.
In the evening the owners of the hut, who were three little dwarfs who earned their living by digging coal in the hills, came back to their home. And when they came in, after they had washed themselves, they went to their beds, and the first of them said:
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 go until it was almost evening; then she saw a little cottage and went into it to rest herself. Everything in the cottage was small, but neater and cleaner than can be told. There was a table on which was a white cover, and seven little plates, and on each plate a little spoon; moreover, there were seven little knives and forks, and seven little mugs. Against the wall stood seven little beds side by side, and covered with snow-white counterpanes.
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, as she was so tired she laid herself down on one of the little beds, but none of them suited her; one was too long, another too short, but at last she found that the seventh one was right, and so she remained 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 and delved in the mountains for ore. They lit their seven candles, and as It was now light within the cottage they saw that some one had been there, for everything was not in the same order in which they had left it.
ro
– Cine a stat pe scăunelul meu? – se minună primul pitic.
– Cine a mâncat din farfurioara mea? – întrebă şi al doilea.
– Cine a muşcat din pâinea mea? zise, cu îngrijorare, şi cel de-al treilea.
Auzindu-şi fraţii, al patrulea pitic zise:
– Cine a gustat din legumele mele?
Al cincilea adăugă şi el:
– Cine a umblat cu furculiţa mea?
– Cine a tăiat cu cuţitul meu? – se interesă, de îndată, şi cel de-al şaselea pitic.
– Cine a băut din paharul meu? – întrebă, în sfârşit, şi al şaptelea pitic.
Primul pitic cătă în jur cu luare-aminte, şi pe dată văzu o mică adâncitură în pătuţul lui.
– Cine s-a culcat în pătuţul meu?! se minună el.
Ceilalţi alergară de grabă la pătuţurile lor şi începură să strige, care mai de care:
– Şi-n pătuţul meu a stat cineva!
Dar când cel de-al şaptelea se apropie şi el de pătuţul lui, piticii dădură cu ochii de Albă-ca-Zăpada care dormea în el, adâncită într-un somn greu.
Piticii se minunară, apoi îndreptară spre Albă-ca-Zăpada lumina celor şapte lumânărele şi rămaseră s-o privească.
– Doamne, apucară ei să spună, tare frumoasă mai e copila asta!
Albă ca zăpada şi cei şapte piticiŞi nu se îndurară s-o trezească, ci o lăsară să doarmă mai departe în pătuţ. Iar cel de-al şaptelea pitic dormi câte un ceas în patul fiecăruia şi uite aşa trecu noaptea. Când se lumină de ziua, Albă-ca-Zăpada deschise încetişor ochii, şi văzându-i pe cei şapte pitici, se sperie. Dar ei se arătară prietenoşi şi o întrebară cu blândeţe:
– Cum te cheamă, fetiţo?
– Albă-ca-Zăpada, răspunse ea.
– Şi cum de ai ajuns în căsuţa noastră? o mai întrebară ei.
Atunci Albă-ca-Zăpada le spuse povestea ei de-a fir-a-păr. După ce o ascultară, fără să scape vreun cuvinţel, piticii îi ziseră:
– Dacă primeşti să vezi de gospodăria noastră, să găteşti, să faci paturile, să coşi, să speli, să împleteşti, poţi rămâne liniştită la noi şi n-ai să duci lipsă de nimic.
– Da, primesc cu dragă inimă! răspunse Albă-ca-Zăpada, şi de atunci rămase la ei.
În fiecare dimineaţă piticii plecau în munţi să scoată aur şi tot felul de pietre preţioase, iar seara, când se întorceau acasă, găseau mâncarea gata pregătită, pe cuptor. Peste zi, Albă-ca-Zăpada rămânea însă singurică acasă. De aceea, piticii cei buni nu uitau niciodată s-o povăţuiască: „Păzeşte-te de maşteră că n-o să-i fie greu să dea de tine, dacă află că mai eşti încă în viaţă. Nu cumva să laşi pe cineva să intre în casă!”
en
"Somebody has been sleeping in my bed!"
And then the second one said:
"And somebody's been sleeping in my bed!"
And the third one called out in a shrill voice, for he was so excited:
"Somebody is sleeping in my bed, just look how beautiful she is!"
So they waited till she woke up, and asked her how she had come there, and she told them all that the hunter had said to her about the Queen wanting to slay her.
Then the dwarfs asked her if she would be willing to stop with them and keep house for them; and she said that she would be delighted.
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 and saw that there was a little hole on his bed, and he 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 the seventh when he looked at his bed saw little Snow-white who was lying asleep therein. And he called the others' who came running up, and they cried out with astonishment, and brought their seven little candles and let the light fall on little Snow-white. "Oh, heavens! oh heavens!" cried they, "what a lovely child!" and they were so glad that they did not wake her up, but let her Bleep on m the bed. And the seventh dwarf slept with his companions, one hour with each, and so got through the night.
When it was 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 step-mother had wished to have her killed, but that the huntsman had spared her life, and that she had run for the whole day, until at last she had found their dwelling. The dwarfs said, "If you will take care of our house, cook, make the beds, wash, sew, and knit, and if you will keep everything neat and clean, you can stay with us and you shall want for nothing." "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 and looked for copper and gold, in the evenings they came back, and then their supper had to be ready. The girl was alone the whole day, so the good dwarfs warned her and said, "Beware of your step-mother, she will soon know that you are here; be sure to let no one come in."
ro
Între timp, împărăteasa încredinţată fiind că e din nou cea mai frumoasă, acum că Albă-ca-Zăpada murise, îşi întrebă din nou oglinda fermecată:
Zi-mi, oglindă-oglinjoară,
Cine e cea mai frumoasă din ţară?
Iar oglinda îi răspunse:
Frumoasă eşti, Crăiasă, dar de o frumuseţe rece,
Iar colo, sus în munţi, la cei pitici cărunţi,
Albă-ca-Zăpada de mii de ori te-ntrece!
Împărăteasa îşi dădu pe dată seama că vânătorul o înşelase, fiindcă ştia că oglinda nu minte. Aşa că începu să se frământe şi să chibzuiască în ce chip putea s-o piardă pe Albă-ca-Zăpada. În cele din urmă născoci ceva: îşi vopsi faţa şi se îmbrăcă întocmai ca o bătrână negustoreasă.
en
Next morning the Queen went up as usual to her mirror, and called out:
"Mirror, mirror, on the wall,
Who is the fairest of us all?"
And the mirror answered as usual:
"Queen, Queen, on thy throne,
Snowwhite's the fairest thou must own."
And the Queen knew that Snowwhite had not been slain. So she sent for the hunter and made him confess that he had let Snowwhite go; and she made him search about beyond the forest, till at last he brought back word to her that Snowwhite was dwelling in a little hut on the hill with some coal-miners.
But the Queen, believing that she had eaten Snow-white's heart, could not but think that she was again the first and most beautiful of all; and she went to her looking-glass and said —
"Looking-glass, Looking-glass, on the wall,
Who in this land is the fairest of all?"
and the glass answered —
"Oh, Queen, thou art 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, for she knew that the looking-glass never spoke falsely, and she knew that the huntsman had betrayed her, and that little Snow-white was still alive.
ro
Schimbată astfel la înfăţişare, era de nerecunoscut. Maştera o porni peşte cei şapte munţi şi, într-un sfârşit, se pomeni în faţa căsuţei celor şapte pitici. Bătu de îndată la uşă şi strigă cu toată puterea:
– Marfă frumoasă de vânzare!
– Bună ziua, mătuşică dragă, da’ ce ai matale de vânzare?
– Marfă bună şi frumoasă! se grăbi să îi răspundă negustoreasa. Cingători de toate felurile şi culorile. Şi, vicleană, împărăteasa scoase una, împletită din mătase pestriţă. „Se vede cât de colo că e o femeie de treabă, gândi Albă-ca-Zăpada, aşa că n-am de ce să n-o las înăuntru, că n-o fi foc!…”
Aşa că trase zăvorul, o pofti să intre şi îi cumpără cea mai frumoasă cingătoare. Cum fata nu bănuia că ar paşte-o vreo primejdie, o lăsă pe bătrână să îi potrivească cingătoarea în dreptul mijlocului. Maştera însă o strânse atât de tare, încât copilei i se tăie pe dată răsuflarea şi leşină.
– Ei, de-acum înainte n-ai să fii tu cea mai frumoasă! hohoti împărăteasa şi plecă nespus de mulţumită de sine.
Spre seară, când veniră piticii acasă, mare le fu surprinderea şi spaima când o găsiră pe Albă-ca-Zăpada zăcând la pământ. O ridicară de jos şi, văzând cât de strâns îi era mijlocul, tăiară în două cingătoarea. Apoi, după ce îşi mai veni în fire, fata le povesti piticilor toate câte se întâmplaseră, iar aceştia îi atraseră din nou atenţia:
– Negustoreasa aceea nu era alta decât împărăteasa. Fereşte-te de acum copilă, şi nu lăsa pe nimeni să intre în casă cât lipsim noi! Dacă află că mai trăieşti, cu siguranţă se va întoarce!
Şi mare dreptate avură piticii! Căci împărăteasa nici nu aşteptă să treacă bine pragul castelului că se şi duse glonţ la oglindă şi o întrebă:
Zi-mi, oglindă-oglinjoară,
Cine e cea mai frumoasă din ţară?
Iar oglinda îi răspunse:
Frumoasă eşti, Crăiasă, dar de o frumuseţe rece,
Iar colo, sus în munţi, la cei pitici cărunţi,
Albă-ca-Zăpada de mii de ori te-ntrece!
Împărăteasa simţi că îi plezneşte ţeasta de mânia care clocotea în ea. „Ei bine, de data asta mă voi strădui să născocesc ceva care n-o să mai dea greş! Ceva cu care am să-i vin de hac de-a binelea!”
Şi cum la farmece nu o întrecea nimeni, meşteri mai întâi un pieptene otrăvit, apoi luă înfăţişarea unei bătrâne gârbovite de ani. Când ajunse din nou la căsuţa piticilor, ciocăni şi zise:
– Marfă bună de vânzare, marfă bună!
– Vezi-ţi de drum, tanti, că n-am voie să las pe nimeni înăuntru!
– Da’ de privit, ai voie să priveşti, nu-i aşa?…
Şi scoţând înadins pieptenele otrăvit, îl tot plimba pe sub ochii copilei. Atât de mult îi plăcu pieptenul, că Albă-ca-Zăpada se lăsă din nou amăgită şi-o lăsă să intre în casă. După ce se învoiră la preţ, bătrâna o momi cu cele mai dulci cuvinte:
– Ia vino încoa’ la baba, să te pieptene, ca să fii şi tu o dată pieptănată ca lumea!
Biata Albă-ca-Zăpada nu se gândi la nimic rău şi se lăsă pieptănată. Dar de-abia ce îşi trecu bătrâna pieptenele prin părul fetei că otrava şi începu să lucreze, iar Albă-ca-Zăpada căzu de îndată la pământ.
– Acu’ chiar că s-a sfârşit cu tine, frumoasa-frumoaselor!… rânji către Albă-ca-Zăpada maştera cea haină.
Spre norocul fetei însă, piticii coborâră de data asta mai repede din mină. De îndată ce o văzură pe Albă-ca-Zăpada zăcând la podea, îi scoaseră pieptenele otrăvit din păr. Cum i-l smulseră din păr, Albă-ca-Zăpada îşi şi veni în fire, şi le povesti piticilor cele întâmplate.
În dimineaţa următoare, piticii plecară din nou în mină. Nu înainte însă de a o povăţui pe Albă-ca-Zăpada să nu deschidă uşa nimănui.
en
Then the Queen dressed herself up like an old woman, and, taking a poisoned comb with her, went back the next day to the hut where Snowwhite was living. Now the dwarfs had warned her not to open the door to anybody lest evil might befall her; and she found it very lonesome keeping always within doors.
When the Queen, disguised as an old woman, came to the door of the house she knocked upon it with her stick, but Snowwhite called out from within:
"Who is there? Go away! I must not let anybody come in."
"All right," answered the Queen. "If you can come to the window we can have a little chat there, and I can show you my wares."
So when Snowwhite came to the window the Queen said:
"Oh, what beautiful black hair; you ought to have a comb to bind it up;" and she showed her the comb that she had brought with her.
But Snowwhite said:
"I have no money and cannot afford to buy so fine a comb."
Then the Queen said:
"That is no matter; perhaps you have something golden that you can give me in exchange."
And Snowwhite thought of a golden ring that her father had given to her, and offered to give it for the comb. The Queen took it and gave Snowwhite the comb and bade her good-bye, and went back to the palace.
Snowwhite lost no time in going to the mirror, and binding up her hair and putting the comb into it. But it had scarcely been in her hair a few minutes when she fell down as if she were dead, and all the blood left her cheeks, and she was Snowwhite indeed.
When the dwarfs came home that evening they were surprised to find that the table was not spread for them, and looking about they soon found Snowwhite lying upon the ground as if she were dead. But one of them listened to her heart and said: "She lives! She lives!"
And they began to consider what caused Snowwhite to fall into such a swoon. They soon found the comb, and when they took it out Snowwhite soon opened her eyes and became as lively as she ever was before.
And so she thought and thought again how she might kill her, for so long as she was not the fairest in the whole land, envy let her have no rest. And when she had at last thought of something to do, she painted her face, and dressed herself like an old pedler-woman, and no one could have known her. In this disguise she went over the seven mountains to the seven dwarfs, and 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; "stay-laces of all colours," and she pulled out one which was woven of bright-coloured silk. "I may let the worthy old woman in," thought Snow-white, and she unbolted the door and bought the pretty laces. "Child," said the old woman, "what a fright you look; come, I will lace you properly for once." Snow-white had no suspicion, but stood before her, and let herself be laced with the new laces. But the old woman laced so quickly and laced so tightly that Snow-white lost her breath 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, but how shocked they were when they saw their dear little Snow-white lying on the ground, and that she neither stirred nor moved, and seemed to be dead. They lifted her up, and, as they saw 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 pedler-woman was no one else than the wicked Queen; take care and let no one come in when we are not with you."
ro
În tot acest timp, împărăteasa ajunsese la castel şi îşi întrebă oglinda:
Zi-mi, oglindă-oglinjoară,
Cine e cea mai frumoasă din ţară?
Iar oglinda îi răspunse:
Frumoasă eşti, Crăiasă, dar de o frumuseţe rece,
Iar colo, sus în munţi, la cei pitici cărunţi,
Albă-ca-Zăpada de mii de ori te-ntrece!
Auzindu-i spusele, împărăteasa începu să tremure de mânie. „Netrebnica asta trebuie să moară, chiar de-ar fi să plătesc moartea ei cu preţul vieţii mele!” Se strecură apoi într-un beci, unde nu călca picior de om şi începu să amestece tot soiul de licori într-un cazan pe care îl puse la foc. Apoi, când licoarea dădu în clocot, scufundă în ea jumătatea unui măr. Aşa rămăsese mărul o parte alb, ca spuma laptelui, o parte roşu, ca sângele. Mărul era aşa de frumos, de-ţi venea să-l mănânci de îndată ce-l vedeai! După ce-l termină de meşterit, maştera îşi vopsi faţa şi se îmbrăcă în straie de ţărancă. Maştera ajunse din nou la casa piticilor şi bătu la uşă. De data aceasta însă Albă-ca-Zăpada scoase capul pe fereastră şi îi zise:
– Nu pot lăsa pe nimeni să intre! Piticii nu-mi dau voie!
– Ei, pagubă-n ciuperci! Găsesc eu muşterii! zise ţăranca. Da’ până una-alta, hai de ia şi tu unul, că nu e pe bani!…
– Nici nu mă gândesc să-l iau, zise Albă-ca-Zăpada. N-am voie să iau nimic!
– Ce, te temi cumva să nu mori otrăvită?… întrebă cu viclenie ţăranca. Uite, am să tai mărul ăsta în două: bucata asta roşie mănânc-o tu, iar eu am s-o mănânc pe cealaltă.
Când o văzu pe ţărancă muşcând din jumătatea ei, Albă-ca-Zăpada nu mai răbdă şi muşcă şi ea din jumătatea roşie. Dar nu apucă să înghită decât o îmbucătură, că şi căzu, fără suflare, la pământ.
Împărăteasa plecă de acolo beată de bucurie şi de cum ajunse din nou la palat, îşi întrebă oglinda:
Zi-mi, oglindă-oglinjoară,
Cine e cea mai frumoasă din ţară?
Iar oglinda îi răspunse:
Tu eşti, Crăiasă, tu eşti cea mai frumoasă!
Şi de-abia atunci, când îşi auzi oglinda, împărăteasa îşi linişti pe deplin inima pizmaşă.
Albă-ca-zăpada în racla de cleştarÎn faptul serii, când piticii se întoarseră acasă, o găsiră pe Albă-ca-Zăpada zăcând pe jos, fără suflare. Crezând că e moartă, o plânseră cu toţii şi o jeliră trei zile încheiate.
– Nu, în adâncul cel negru al pământului n-o putem coborî! – ziseră piticii, care mai de care. Apoi construiră o raclă de cleştar şi o aşezară pe Albă-ca-Zăpada într-un vârf de munte. Şi aşa rămase Albă-ca-Zăpada multă, foarte multă vreme în sicriul ei de cleştar şi nimic nu părea să îi umbrească frumuseţea.
Se întâmplă odată ca un fecior de crai să treacă pe lângă acel pisc de munte şi s-o vadă.
– Daţi-mi mie fata din racla de cleştar, le spuse prinţul de îndată ce o văzu pe Albă-ca-Zăpada, că vă voi da orice îmi veţi cere.
– Nu ţi-o dăm pentru tot aurul şi nestematele din lume!
– Înduraţi-vă rogu-vă şi daţi-mi-o, că de când am văzut-o, simt că nu mai pot trăi fără s-o văd în fiecare zi. Şi vă asigur că o voi cinsti mereu şi-o voi preţui ca pe făptura care mi-a fost cea mai dragă pe lume!
Auzindu-l cu cât patos vorbeşte, piticii se îndurară de el şi i-o dădură pe Albă-ca-Zăpada. Feciorul de crai îşi chemă slujitorii, le porunci să ia sicriul în spinare şi să-l urmeze. Nu făcură mai mult de câţiva paşi, că una dintre slugi se împiedică de buturugă. Sicriul se zdruncină atât de tare încât, bucăţica de măr pe care o înghiţise Albă-ca-Zăpada îi ţâşni afară din gâtlej. Apoi Albă-ca-Zăpada se ridică din raclă, ca şi cum dormise doar, şi privi în jurul ei:
– Vai, Doamne, unde mă aflu? strigă ea, nedumerită.
Fiul de crai se apropie de ea şi îi spuse cu blândeţe:
– Eşti cu mine, Albă-ca-Zăpada!… Cu mine care te-ndrăgesc mai mult orice pe lume! Primeşte, rogu-te, să fii soţia mea!
Albă-ca-Zăpada îl îndrăgi şi ea de cum îl văzu, aşa că primi să-i fie soţie. Şi făcură o nuntă mare, chemând nuntaşi de peste mări şi ţări. La nuntă o poftiră şi pe maştera cea haină.
După ce s-a gătit maştera cu veşmintele ei cele mai de preţ, s-a apropiat din nou de oglindă şi a întrebat-o:
Zi-mi, oglindă-oglinjoară,
Cine e cea mai frumoasă din ţară?
Iar oglinda îi răspunse:
Frumoasă eşti, Crăiasă, dar de o frumuseţe rece,
Iar tânăra domniţă, ce de mii de ori te-ntrece!
Auzind-o, împărăteasa simţi că i se face dintr-odată frică. Dar o frică atât de îngrozitoare încât nu mai ştia ce să mai facă ori încotro s-o apuce.
Şi de cum păşi în sala tronului, şi o recunoscu pe Albă-ca-Zăpada, înlemni de spaimă – rămânând ţeapănă, ca o statuie.
Spaima puse de atunci stăpânire pe toată fiinţa ei! Din pricina asta, împărăteasa se urâţea văzând cu ochii. Odată cu trecerea anilor se făcu atât de urâtă, încât nu mai îndrăznea să se privească în oglinda ei fermecată.
Albă-ca-Zăpada, în schimb, a trăit numai în bucurie împreună cu tânărul împărat şi, dacă n-or fi murit, cu siguranţă mai trăiesc şi astăzi.
en
Next morning the Queen went to the mirror on the wall and said to it:
"Mirror, mirror, on the wall,
Who is the fairest of us all?"
Then the mirror said as before:
"Queen, Queen, on thy throne,
Snowwhite's the fairest thou must own."
} Then the Queen knew that something had happened to the comb and that Snowwhite was still alive. So she dressed herself once more as an old woman and took with her a poisoned ribbon and went to the hut of the three dwarfs. And when she got there she knocked at the door, but Snowwhite called out:
"You cannot enter; I must not open the door."
Then, as before, the Queen called out in reply:
"Then come to the window, and you can see my wares."
When Snowwhite came to the window the Queen said:
"You are looking more beautiful than ever, but how unbecomingly you arrange your hair. Did you use that comb I gave you yesterday?"
"Yes, indeed," said Snowwhite, "and I fell into a swoon because of it; I am afraid there is something the matter with it."
"No, no, that cannot be," said the Queen; "there must be some mistake. But if you cannot use the comb I will let you have this pretty ribbon instead," and she held out the poisoned ribbon. Snowwhite took it, and after the old woman, as she thought she was, had gone away, Snowwhite went to the mirror and tied up her hair with the piece of ribbon. But scarcely had she done so when she fell to the ground lifeless and lay there as if she were dead.
That evening the dwarfs came home and found Snowwhite lying on the ground as if dead, but soon discovered the poisoned ribbon and untied it; and almost as soon as this was done Snowwhite revived again.
Next morning the Queen went once more to the mirror on the wall, and called out:
"Mirror, mirror, on the wall,
Who is the fairest of us all?"
to which the mirror replied, without any change:
"Queen, Queen, on thy throne,
Snowwhite's the fairest thou must own."
And the Queen recognized that once again her plans had failed, and Snowwhite was still alive. So she dressed herself once more and took with her a poisoned apple, which was so arranged that only one half of it was poisoned and the rest of it was left as before. And when the Queen got to the hut of the dwarfs she tried to open the door, but Snowwhite called out:
"You can't come in!"
"Then I'll come to the window," said the Queen.
"Ah, you are the old lady that came twice before; you have not brought me good luck, each time something has befallen me."
But the Queen said:
"I do not know how that can be; I only brought you something for your hair; perhaps you tied it too tight. To show you that I have no ill-will against you I have brought you this beautiful apple."
"But my guardians," said Snowwhite, "told me that I must take nothing more from you."
"Oh, this is nothing to wear," said the Queen, "this is something to eat. To show you that there can be no harm in it I will take half of it myself and you shall eat the other half."
So she cut the apple in two and gave the poisoned half to Snowwhite. And the moment she had swallowed the first bite of it she fell down dead. Then the Queen slunk away and went back to the palace and went at once to her chamber and addressed the mirror on the wall:
"Mirror, mirror, on the wall,
Who is the fairest of us all?"
And this time the mirror answered, as it used to do:
'Queen, Queen, on thy throne,
The greatest beauty is thine own."
Then the Queen knew that Snowwhite was dead at last, and that she was without a rival in beauty.
When the dwarfs came home that night they found Snowwhite lying upon the ground quite dead, and could not find out what had happened or how they could cure her. But, though she seemed dead, Snowwhite kept her beautiful white skin and seemed more like a statue than a dead person. So the dwarfs had a glass coffer made, and put Snowwhite in and locked it up. And she remained there for days and days without changing the slightest, looking oh, so beautiful under the glass case.
Now a great prince of the neighbouring country happened to be hunting near the hill of the dwarfs and called at their hut to get a glass of water. And when he came in he found nobody there but Snowwhite lying in her crystal coffer. And he fell at once in love with her and sat by her side till the dwarfs came home, and he asked them who she was. Then they told him her history, and he begged that he might carry the coffer away so that he might always have her near him. At first they would not do so. But he showed how much he loved her, so that they at last yielded, and he called for his men to carry the coffer home to his palace.
And when the men commenced carrying the coffer down the mountain they jolted it so much that the piece of poisoned apple in Snowwhite's throat fell out, and she revived and opened her eyes and looked upon the Prince who was riding by her side. Then he ordered the coffer to be opened, and told her all that had happened. And he took her home to his castle and married her.
After this happened the Queen once more came to her room and spoke to the mirror on the wall and said:
"Mirror, mirror, on the wall,
Who is the fairest of us all?"
And the mirror this time said again:
"Queen, Queen, on thy throne,
Snowwhite's the fairest thou must own."
And the Queen was so enraged because she had not destroyed Snowwhite that she rushed to the window and threw herself out of it and died on the spot.
But the wicked woman when she had reached home went in front of the glass and asked—
"Looking-glass, Looking-glass, on the wall,
Who in this land is the fairest of all?"
and it answered as before—
"Oh, Queen, thou art 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, for she saw plainly that little Snow-white was again alive. "But now," she said, "I will think of something that shall put an end to yon," and by the help of witchcraft, which she understood, she made a poisonous comb. Then she disguised herself and took the shape of another old woman. So she went over 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, and pulled the poisonous comb out and held it up. It pleased the girl so well that she let herself be beguiled, and opened the door. When they had made a bargain the old woman said, "Now I will comb you properly for once." Poor little Snow-white had no suspicion, and let the old woman do as she pleased, but hardly had she put the comb in her hair than the poison in it took effect, and the girl fell down senseless. "You paragon of beauty," said the wicked woman, "you are done for now," and she went away.
But fortunately it was almost evening, when the seven dwarfs came home. When they saw Snow-white lying as if dead upon the ground they at once suspected the stepmother, and they looked and found the poisoned comb. Scarcely had they taken it out when Snow-white came to herself, and told them what had happened. Then they warned her once more to be upon her guard and to open the door to no one.
The Queen, at home, went in front of the glass and said —
"Looking-glass, Looking-glass, on the wall,
"Who in this land is the fairest of all?"
then it answered as before —
"Oh, Queen, thou art fairest of all I see.
But over the hills, where the seven dwarfs dwell.
Snow-white is ttill alive and well,
And none is so fair as she."
When she heard the glass speak thus she trembled and shook with rage. "Snow-white shall die," she cried, "even if it costs me my life!"
Thereupon she went into a quite secret, lonely room, where no one ever came, and there she made a very poisonous apple. Outside it looked pretty, white with a red cheek, so that every one who saw it longed for it; but whoever ate a piece of it must surely die.
When the apple was ready she painted her face, and dressed herself up as a country-woman, and so she went over 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 yon afraid of poison?" said the old woman; "look, I will cut the apple in two pieces; 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, and when she saw that the woman ate part of it she could resist no longer, and stretched out her hand and took the poisonous half. But hardly had she a bit of it in her mouth than she fell down dead. Then the Queen looked at her with a dreadful look, and 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 of the Looking-glass at home—
"Looking-glass, Looking-glnss, on the wall,
Who in this land is the fairest of all?"
it answered at last—
"Oh, Queen, in this land thou art fairest of all."
Then her envious heart had rest, so far as an envious heart can have rest.
The dwarfs, when they came home in the evening, found Snow-white lying upon the ground; she breathed no longer and was dead. They lifted her up, looked to see whether they could find anything poisonous, unlaced her, combed her hair, washed her with water and wine, but it was all of no use; the poor child was dead, and remained dead. They laid her upon a bier, and all seven of them sat round it and wept for her, and wept three days long.
Then they were going to bury her, but she still looked as if she were living, and still had her pretty red cheeks. They said, "We could not bury her in the dark ground," and they had a transparent coffin of glass made, so that she could be seen from all sides, and they laid her in it, and wrote her name upon it in golden letters, and 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 within it, and read what was written upon 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 prize 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. And it happened that they stumbled over a tree-stump, and with the shock the poisonous piece of apple which Snow-white had bitten off came 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. The King's son, full of joy, said, "You are with me," and told her what had happened, and said, "I love you more than everything 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, and their wedding was held with great show and splendour. But Snow-white's wicked step-mother was also bidden to the feast. When she had arrayed herself in beautiful clothes she went before the Looking-glass, and said—
"Looking-glass, Looking-glass, on the wall,
Who in this land is the fairest of all? "
the glass answered—
"Oh, Queen, of all here the fairest art thou,
But the young Queen is fairer by far as I trow."
Then the wicked woman uttered a curse, and was so wretched, so utterly wretched, that she knew not what to do. At first she would not go to the wedding at all, but she had no peace, and must go to see the young Queen. And when she went in she knew Snow-white; and she stood still with rage and fear, and could not stir. 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.