White Snow and the Seven Dwarfs

Chapter 4: Pretty silks to sell

In his palace bedroom, the King was singing too.

Smiling at his reflection, he asked his usual question:
"Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who's the fairest of us all?"

"Well King, you are fair, no doubt about it," the mirror said chattily. "But White Snow is fairer. He's living in a cottage in the forest," it added.

"White Snow is alive?" the King spat in fury. "That huntswoman tricked me!"

He was so angry he couldn't eat or sleep. Instead, he spent every second plotting how to kill White Snow.

At last, he disguised himself as an old pedlar. Packing a basket with ribbons and silks, he set off for the forest.

White Snow was cleaning the cottage when an old man came to the door.

"Pretty things to sell," the man cackled. "Silks and satins, scarfs and belts."

"What lovely silks," cried White Snow, stroking a scarf.

"Here, my dear," said the old man. "Try it on."

He looped the scarf around White Snow's neck and pulled it tight... tighter and tighter...

"Stop!" cried White Snow.

"Ha! I'll be fairest soon." The man said as he kept pulling until White Snow collapsed.

The dwarfs came home to White Snow lying in the doorway. Shocked, they saw the scarf squeezing the life out of him.

Whipping out a knife, one of the dwarfs sliced through it. White Snow spluttered and began to breathe again.

"Where's the old pedlar man?" he gasped.

"What old man?" a dwarf began. "No one knows we're here..." She gave a sudden shout. "Hey! It must have been that wicked King. He tricked you."

The dwarfs looked serious. "You're in grave danger," said one.

The King will keep trying to kill you," said another.

"Don't open the door!" they all said together.

Meanwhile, the wicked King had run all the way home and raced to his mirror:
"Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who's the fairest of us all?"

In his palace bedroom, the King was singing too.

Smiling at his reflection, he asked his usual question:
"Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who's the fairest of us all?"

The mirror said. "Sit down your highness. It's still White Snow."

The next day, the King was back at the cottage with a poisoned comb. But White Snow refused to let in.

"You can the King, holding the sparkly comb to the window.

White Snow was entranced. Forgetting his promise, he opened the door.

Quicker than a bee, the King darted inside and snuck the comb in White Snow's hair. The poison worked at once and he fell to the floor.

As soon as the dwarfs saw White Snow, they knew the King had returned.

"Look what he's done now!" said one, taking out the comb.

White Snow moaned. "Oh, my head..."

"You must be more careful," the dwarfs warned him. "The King will try again. DON'T open the door!"