d, "Go away--I dare let no one in."

"You may surely be allowed to look!" answered the old woman, and she
drew out the poisoned comb and held it up. The girl was so pleased
with it that she let herself be cajoled, and opened the door.

When the bargain was struck the dame said, "Now let me dress your hair
properly for once." Poor Snowdrop took no heed, and let the old woman
begin; but the comb had scarcely touched her hair before the poison
worked, and she fell down senseless.

"Paragon of beauty!" said the wicked woman, "all is over with thee
now," and went away.

Luckily it was near evening, and the seven dwarfs soon came home. When
they found Snowdrop lifeless on the ground they at once distrusted her
stepmother. They searched, and found the poisoned comb; and as soon as
they had drawn it out, Snowdrop came to herself, and told them what
had happened. Again they warned her to be careful, and open the door
to no one.

The queen placed herself before the mirror at home and said:

"Little glass upon the wall,
Who is fairest among us all?"

But it again answered:

"Lady queen, so grand and tall,
Here, you are fairest of them all;
But over the hills, with the seven dwarfs old,
Lives Snowdrop, fairer a thousandfold."

When she heard the mirror speak thus she quivered with rage. "Snowdrop
shall die," she cried, "if it costs my own life!"

Then she went to a secret and lonely chamber, where no one ever
disturbed her, and compounded an apple of deadly poison. Ripe and rosy
cheeked, it was so beautiful to look upon that all who saw it longed
for it; but it brought death to any who should eat it. When the apple
was ready she painted her face, disguised herself as a peasant-woman,
and journeyed over the seven hills to where the seven dwarfs dwelt. At
the sound of the knock Snowdrop put her head out of the window, and
said, "I cannot open the door to anybody, for the seven dwarfs have
forbidden me to do so."

"Very well," replied the peasant-woman; "I only want to be rid of my
apples. Here, I will give you one of them!"

"No," said Snowdrop, "I dare not take it."

"Art thou afraid of being poisoned?" asked the old woman. "Look here;
I will cut the apple in two, and you shall eat the rosy side, and I
the white."

Now the fruit was so cunningly made that only the rosy side was
poisoned. Snowdrop longed for the pretty apple; and when she saw the
peasant-woman eating it she could resist no