Читать книгу Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs / Белоснежка и семь гномов - Братья Гримм - Страница 3

The Queen called for a hunter and said to him, “I want you to take Snow White deep into the forest and then kill her. And to prove that you have really killed her, bring back her heart and show it to me. You are to tell no one of this plot.”

The hunter was shocked and sad to hear the Queen give such cruel orders. He, like everyone in the royal household, loved the little princess. He did not want her to die, and he did not want to be the one to kill her. He would have to think of some way to save her. However, he bowed before the Queen and promised to follow her orders.

There was a very large forest not far from the palace. Usually Snow White was allowed to go to a certain part of this forest, where there were many birds, rabbits and deer.

One morning, the Queen called Snow White and said to her, “Snow White, go with the hunter to the forest. I know that you love to go there, and play with the birds and animals. Today is such a fine day! Go and enjoy yourself.”

“Oh, thank you, Mother!” said Snow White happily, because she really loved going to the forest. She loved the birds singing and warbling upon tree trunks, the rabbits with their fluffy tails hopping in and out of holes or chasing each other, and the gentle deer with their beautiful eyes frolicking about. They loved her too, and always came to greet her and play with her whenever she visited them.

So Snow White went happily with the hunter, singing and skipping as she went along. The sun was shining, the sky was blue and white clouds were drifting about. It really was a gorgeous day. The forest creatures welcomed her and ran along with her. She played with them for many hours. They were having a wonderful time.

Snow White suddenly realised that they had gone very deep into the forest.

They walked for a long time. Still the guard walked on, taking her deeper and deeper into the forest.

“Why are we going so deep into the forest?” Snow White turned and asked the guard anxiously. “It’s time to go back to the palace. We are already late. The Queen will be very angry.”

The guard looked very sad. He did not want to kill Snow White. She was such a good and kind girl, and very beautiful, too. Everybody in the palace loved her. He told her why the Queen had sent them to the forest. He had been ordered, he said, not only to kill her, but also to carry back her heart as proof that he had really killed her.

“The Queen does not trust anybody, you know,” he said.

Snow White could not believe his words.

“How can the Queen be so cruel? What have I done?” she sobbed.

“Dear Princess, do not cry. You haven’t done anything wrong. The Queen is jealous of your beauty, so she wants you dead.”

“Oh! Please don’t kill me. I will never return to the palace, but will go far away. The Queen will never see me again.”

“Run, little Princess, run. I will not kill you,” remarked the guard sympathetically.