SNOW-WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS - Re-posted on 26 September 2012
Beauty is all-important for a woman. A man can be short and fat, bald, cross-eyed and knock-kneed and still be respected, still be feared, still have power. A woman has to be beautiful to be noticed. Just one wrinkle, one grey hair and a woman is thrown out with the rubbish. I have always been beautiful and make sure I remain so. It has brought me wealth, a good marriage with a widower. Unfortunately there was a child – stupid thing is still around – and the father doted on it. Never mind, he is gone now, laid to rest next to his colourless first wife. I am still around, still beautiful, a queen and ready to marry again. Perhaps with the young king who has announced his visit? Last year he didn't ask me – I'd only just been widowed – but obviously I'd made an impression. Sure, I'm older than he is but I don't look it. And he can't find a fairer wife. Hasn't my mirror told me that I'm the fairest in the land? I don't really have to ask but it is good to hear it confirmed.
"Mirror, mirror on the wall who's the fairest of all?"
"Thou, my Queen, art the fairest of all."
ooOOoo
Beauty! That is all my stepmother ever thinks about. My father said he had brought a new mother. Ha! My maid has been more a mother to me than my father's second wife. If only I could get away from that cold, heartless woman. I have never called her mother, never could, never will either. But where can I go? What can I do? I can only stay and wait until a man comes to claim me one day, just like any woman who isn't a powerful queen. Will the king come back who visited last year? We talked and found we had a lot in common. Of course we didn't speak about engagement or marriage then – my father had only been dead a month – but he said he would ask the queen if he could come back in a year's time. He has promised me and if he keeps his promise he will be back any day now.
ooOOoo
Both the queen and Snow-white dream about the same man and while the queen grows more nervous about the visit, Snow-white blossoms. One day the queen asks her mirror again,
"Mirror, mirror on the wall who's the fairest of all?"
The mirror answers,
"My Queen, thou art the fairest I can see,
But Snow-white is more beautiful than thee."
ooOOoo
Snow-white? Snow-white, that chit, the fairest? Impossible, she is only a child. How old can she be; twelve perhaps or thirteen? Not older surely. I married the king … what … five years ago? No, five years ago he gave me the diamond crown. That was for our sec.. no third anniversary. Eight years ago! Was it really eight years ago? And the child had been only six, surely? No … that's what I thought. The girl had been so small. She'd been older … eight or ten? Yes, ten – that made her eighteen now. A young woman. Younger and fairer than I? No, the girl has to go, has to die. None can be fairer, none.
I will call my huntsman and tells him, to take Snow-white into the forest and kill her. To leave her body to be eaten by the wolves, but to bring me the heart and liver as proof of the girl's death. They will make good ingredients for my most powerful wrinkle-removing-potion.
ooOOoo
Of course I agree to obey her command. But I'm not a murderer and never will be. I will work out what to do later. I can't just ignore the Queen's order. I have a family to take care of.
ooOOooOOooOOoo
It is beautiful in the woods. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the flowers are blooming. How great it is to be alive! But where are we going to? Why did I have to come to the wood with him? He doesn't speak; just looks brooding, menacing. Good thing he isn't a stranger. He would have frightened me. It is getting rather dark as well and the forest is so dense and gloomy here.
ooOOoo
She asks again where we are going and I tell her the truth; that the queen has ordered me to kill her. The horror in the girl's eyes when she pleads for her life. She doesn't need to. I tell her to run into the wood as far as possible, never to return to the palace.
Clever girl, she thanks me and runs away before I can change my mind. Well, I have to see it through now. I will kill a dear and take its heart and liver to the queen.
ooOOoo
To be away from there, before he changes his mind. Before he realises how angry the queen will be if she discovers his deceit. Running, running, branches clawing at my clothes. Are there wolves? Did I hear wolves howling? Just one thought left. HELP.
My sides ache, I can barely go on. Then, a clearing, a house, safety.
Seven little chairs at a table, seven plates, and seven cups. Seven little beds in the corner. Perhaps I can eat a bit and rest a bit.
ooOOoo
"Hiho, hiho, …"
"Shut up, Dim, I can't bear that bloody song. Every day, morning and evening, I've had enough."
"What's up with him?"
"Nothing. It's because he has to do the dishes tonight."
"No, it isn't."
"Yes, it is."
"No, it isn … Bloody hell, first that bloody song, now bloody panto."
"Hey, look. Somebody has gone inside. The door is open."
"What has happened here?"
"Somebody moved my chair."
"Somebody used my knife."
"Somebody used my spoon."
"Somebody had soup of my plate."
"Somebody had a bite of my bread."
"Somebody drank my water."
"Somebody is sleeping in my bed."
"Who's she?"
"Hey! Who are you?"
ooOOoo
Seven little men standing round my bed. Of course the seven chairs, the seven beds; they live here.
"I am Snow-white. I've run away because the Queen, my stepmother wants to kill me. I've nowhere to go. Can I stay here? Please."
"Can you clean and cook?"
"That's no question to ask a guest, Grouch."
"Guest, my foot, if she wants to stay she's not a guest. She'll have to help with the chores just like the rest of us."
"Yes, of course I can clean and cook. If I can stay I'll do the homework while you go out to work."
"It's agreed, you can stay and you can start with doing the dishes tonight."
ooOOooOOooOOoo
Soon I will see her again. I wonder if she will still be as beautiful as the day we met. I couldn't ask her last year, but tomorrow I will. She was lovely last year and intelligent. We had a good time together. I can hardly wait to ask the Queen for Snow-white's hand in marriage.
ooOOoo
He will be arriving today. I can hardly wait for him to ask my hand in marriage. Will he find me as attractive as last year? Surely! What does it matter that he is half my age. We belong together, the most handsome king and the most beautiful queen. Still, it can't do any harm to ask the mirror.
"Mirror, mirror on the wall who's the fairest of all?"
"Oh, my Queen thou art fairest of all I see,
but with the dwarves in the woods
lives Snow-white and forsooth;
no one's as fair as she."
No, no it can't be. She can't be alive. My huntsman has betrayed me. That's why he has disappeared in the night. The wretch! I'll have to do it myself. Snow-white must die. I will be the fairest, I and no one else. But how? How to kill her? The girl mustn't suspect anything, mustn't recognise me. Disguise, I'll use a disguise. I'll dress like and old woman and … offer the girl an apple. A beautiful blushing apple. And to take away any suspicions I'll eat half myself. The plain healthy half for me, the red deadly half for Snow-white. Yes, that will do it.
"Your Majesty …"
"What!? Don't disturb me; I'm not at home for anyone."
"But the king, Your Majesty."
"Give him a room and tell him to wait."
Now to my workplace to weave my murderous magic.
ooOOoo
How quickly I got used to living here, away from the palace. I like the little men and they like me. I have always wanted siblings and suddenly I have seven big brothers … well, seven little elder brothers. They should stop nagging me about not letting in strangers, though. As if the queen will ever come this far. What is that? Somebody calls? An apple woman. Oh, I would so love a nice apple. Can't I let the woman in? Surely it can't be the queen. This is just an old apple-woman.
"A nice apple for the young lady?"
"I don't know if I should. My friends told me not to accept anything from strangers."
"Surely we can share an apple. Here, I'll take this side and you take this beautiful red side. If we both have a piece it can't do any harm, can it?"
"No, I'm sure it can't and it does look lovely. Thank you very much."
ooOOoo
Yes, she bites it!
ooOOoo
I feel so strange suddenly. What is happening to me? My arms feel heavy, everything has gone blurry, I can't see, I …
ooOOoo
Dead, finally dead. Snow-white's beauty will be eaten away by the worms and I, the queen, will be the fairest again.
The queen goes home and asks her mirror,
"Mirror, mirror on the wall who's the fairest of all?"
"Thou, my Queen, art the fairest of all."
She is happy again and for the remains of the day she admires her reflection in her magic mirror.
ooOOooOOooOOoo
I can hardly believe what the huntsman says. Snow-white lost in the wood? The queen wants her dead? I have to find Snow-white but the woods are so big and so much can have happened to her. I've been searching for days now and not a sign of her. What is that? A little man? Perhaps he has seen her pass. What is that thing next to the little fellow? A glass coffin? Snow-white!
"Little man, is this Snow-white?"
"What's it to you?"
"I've been looking for her for days. She was to be my bride and now I find her here, dead. How did this happen?"
"The queen happened. She poisoned Snow-white. We couldn't bear to put her in the earth, so we built this coffin and keep watch in turn."
"Can I take her with me? I'll make a monument to her beauty and will honour her forever."
The little man calls his brothers and they agree. They lift the glass coffin on their shoulders and mean to carry it to the king's castle. Suddenly, a crash, the sound of breaking glass, disaster, the coffin broken and Snow-white lying on the grass.
"Dim, you klutz, can't you do anything right?"
"It wasn't me. There was a tree root and …"
"Be still, look."
"Where am I? What happened? ... The queen was here!"
"Oh, my fair lady, we are so glad to have you back. The queen had poisoned you and we thought you were dead. I have come back to ask you: Snow-white, will you be my wife?"
"Yes, my king, I do."
ooOOooOOooOOoo
An invitation from the king? The idiot has gone and married someone else. Out of injured pride no doubt because I didn't see him immediately last time he was here. Well, I will accept the invitation, just to see his wife, and the regret on his face when he will see the two of us together. Then he will see my beauty and regret his marriage to another.
I will consult the mirror before I leave. It is always nice to hear him say I am the fairest.
"Mirror, mirror on the wall who's the fairest of all?"
"My queen thou art the fairest I can see
but the young queen is fairer by far than thee."
Fairer? How can that young upstart be fairer? Snow-white was fairer and she is dead, isn't she. Isn't she? No, it can't be, Snow-white can't have come back from the dead. I must go and see this queen.
A hall full of people, happy people. There, seven little men. The throne, the young king and next to him, his wife. Snow-white! No, no, no …
"No! I am the fairest; I am the fairest, me, me, me."
ooOOooOOooOOoo
It was awful. She just changed in front of us. Her hair turned grey, her face grew wrinkly, her whole body seemed to collapse and bend. She was always so proud of her youthful looks and beauty, had always looked so tall and regal. Now all that is left is a sad old woman.
"Take good care of her, will you?"
"Yes, your majesty, we will. Come along my dear."
"I'm the fairest, I'm the fairest, I'm …"
"Yes of course you are my dear."
THE END