Snow White is one of the best know fairy tales today. Brothers Grimm included it in their first collection and it stayed from then on. It shares some if not all important elements with other popular fairy tales, like Cinderella, Rapunzel, Goose Girl or The Sleeping Beauty:
- A lady in distress.
- An evil stepmother.
- Presence of a helper.
- An object with magical powers.
- A prince who comes to the rescue.
- Cruel punishment of the opponent.
Here is a very short summary with beautiful color illustrations signed by Gertrud Caspari (1873-1948):
Once upon a time, there was a queen who wished for a child.
One day the mirror told her she is not the most beautiful anymore. Snow White became prettier.
Snow White got a new home with the seven dwarfs.
The evil queen disguised herself and visited Snow White.
The evil queen tricked Snow White again. This time with a poisoned comb. Snow White fell down again but the dwarfs managed to rescue her for the second time.
When Snow White ate the poisoned apple, she fell down for the third time. Dwarf couldn't find a way to help her.
She was too pretty to be buried. So they put her in a glass coffin. Not much later a handsome prince came by and immediately fell in love with a seemingly dead Snow White. He convinced the dwarfs to let him take the coffin to his castle but on the way, the piece of apple - the reason for her death - dropped out of her throat. She was alive again and the wedding with the prince followed. The evil queen was invited to the party where she got hot iron shoes. She danced in them until she died!
Would you like to learn more about the original Snow White?
