Snow White and Rose Red
In a little cottage on the edge of a vast forest, there once lived a woodcutter and his wife. Though they were poor, they were very happy.
Each day, the woodcutter would go off to work while his wife spent her spare time in the garden, lovingly tending to the beautiful flowers that grew there.
Loyalty towards their two rose trees was the highest, one bearing roses of the purest white, and the other carrying roses of the deepest red. All summer long, their beautiful scent filled the air.
The Birth of Two Sisters
When twin daughters were born to the woodcutter’s wife, she decided to name them Snow White and Rose Red, inspired by her lovely rose trees, as one child was very fair and the other very dark.
Before the children grew very old, their father passed away, leaving them alone with their mother in the little cottage at the forest’s edge.
A Mother’s Hard Work
Their mother had to work hard all day to provide enough food and clothing for her children, leaving the two little girls to amuse themselves. Sometimes they helped their mother by gathering wood from the forest for the fire or searching for mushrooms, blackberries, and fruit to eat.
They spent much of their time in the forest, where all the birds and animals came to know and love them for their kind and good hearts as well as their striking beauty.
Winter’s Arrival
As the two girls walked through the forest, the birds sang sweet songs to them. The deer and rabbits came running to eat from their hands while the squirrels frolicked around them. All the forest creatures loved Snow White and Rose Red, and none would ever hurt them.
One year, winter arrived early, blanketing the forest in thick snow and icicles hanging from the cottage roof. Remembering their little friends, the birds, Snow White and Rose Red put out fresh water and breadcrumbs to help them find food in the barren forest.
Each day, they were welcomed by the grateful chirping of birds as they came to eat and drink.
A Bear at the Door
One cold night, Snow White and Rose Red were sitting with their mother by a warm log fire, listening to the wind howl around the cottage when they heard a knock at the door. Upon opening it, they saw a big brown bear standing there, his woolly coat covered in snow, shivering with cold.
Not at all afraid, the two girls took pity on the poor bear and let him into the cottage. They seated him by the warm fire, brushed the snow from his thick coat, gave him some warm food, and made a bed of straw for him to sleep on in front of the fire all night.
Friendship with the Bear
Each night after that, the big brown bear returned to the cottage, warm and cozy on his straw bed until morning came. Soon, winter came to an end, leaves began to bud on the trees, and the warm sun shone again as the snow and ice melted away. One day, the bear left and did not return. The girls felt a pang of sadness, for they had grown fond of the big shaggy bear, yet they understood he could now care for himself in the fine weather.
When Snow White and Rose Red ventured back into the forest to gather wood for their mother, the animals were delighted to see them again. The birds sang and the squirrels playfully chased around, almost stumbling over their bushy tails in excitement.
Helping a Dwarf
Then, from a nearby clearing, they heard cries for help. They rushed over and found a little dwarf, his beard firmly caught in a cleft of an old tree trunk. “Help me, can’t you?” he called out. “Can’t you see that my beautiful beard is caught up in this horrid tree trunk? Do something, you silly girls!”
Snow White tugged at his beard while Rose Red tried to pry open the tree trunk, but it was futile. The dwarf only grumbled louder, yelling that they were going to pull his beard out by the roots.
Finally, Snow White ran home to fetch their mother’s scissors. Returning, she cut the dwarf’s beard free from the tree trunk. Instead of gratitude, the dwarf was even angrier when he saw the end of his beard still caught fast in the trunk.
An Ungrateful Dwarf
<p”You have spoiled the shape of my beautiful beard!” he cried, dancing with rage. “It will never be the same again. How could you be so stupid?” With that, he stormed off into the forest, grumbling, “Stupid girls, silly girls. They have spoiled my beautiful beard.”
Snow White and Rose Red continued to collect wood for their mother but forgot about the bad-tempered little dwarf until one day, while running hand-in-hand through the forest, they heard someone calling for help again.
They rushed over to find the dwarf fishing in a large pond. His long beard had become tangled with his fishing line, causing him to yell in frustration as a big fish struggled to escape.
A Second Rescue
Seeing the girls, he shouted, “Don’t just stand there looking at me, you silly girls! Can’t you see I’m caught in this fishing line? Get me free at once!” Without hesitation, Snow White and Rose Red began to untangle the dwarf’s beard, but as the fish struggled and the dwarf danced angrily, the beard only became more tightly entangled.
The dwarf’s shouts of pain grew louder until finally, Snow White said to Rose Red, “It’s no use; we won’t be able to free him. You better run home and get the scissors.”
Rose Red dashed home and returned breathlessly with the scissors, cutting the dwarf free once again. The fish, delighted to be free, swam away, taking the fishing line with him.
The Dwarf’s Rage
The dwarf glared at his reflection in the pond. “Silly girls!” he cried. “Look what you’ve done to my beautiful beard. What clumsy things you are!” Without expressing any thanks, he ran off into the forest, still muttering about the girls.
Despite his ungratefulness, Snow White and Rose Red were happy they had helped. Time passed, and one day, they explored a new part of the forest when they heard more muttering nearby. Upon investigating, they found the dwarf again, this time counting a pile of jewels with glee.
The Prince Revealed
However, when he glimpsed the sisters, he roared with anger, but that was nothing compared to the roar that came from behind him. There stood the big brown bear, looking as fierce as he sounded. “Please don’t eat me, brown bear!” cried the dwarf. “Take these two girls and all these jewels, but spare me!”
The bear charged at the dwarf, knocking him over with a powerful blow. The dwarf scrambled away, his teeth chattering in fright. To the sisters’ astonishment, the bear’s brown fur split down the middle, and out stepped a handsome prince.
<p“Don’t be frightened,” said the prince. “The brown bear has gone for good.” He explained how the wicked dwarf had stolen his treasure during a hunting trip and cast a spell on him that transformed him into a bear. The prince believed that if he could find the dwarf and reclaim his treasure, the spell would be lifted.
A New Life
Thankful for the sisters’ kindness during winter, the prince revealed that without their help, he might have perished as a bear and never returned to his true form. They made their way back to the little cottage together.
There, the prince stayed until he acquired a horse to return to his kingdom. However, he had already fallen in love with the beautiful Snow White, and it wasn’t long before Snow White, Rose Red, and their mother accompanied him to the grand castle.
In a splendid ceremony, the prince married Snow White, delighting all his subjects who were overjoyed to have their beloved prince back, along with his beautiful bride. Soon, one of the kingdom’s nobles asked for Rose Red’s hand, falling instantly in love with her.
Joyful Beginnings
Their mother was equally joyous. She cultivated a beautiful garden of her own, spending many happy hours planting and weeding. At the center of her cherished garden stood two lovely rose bushes—one of pure white and the other of deep red. These were her favorite flowers, filling the castle gardens with scent each summer.