Story Summary
Experience the classic Brothers Grimm tale of Snow White, a princess who escapes her jealous stepmother to find refuge with seven dwarfs deep in the forest.
Once, a queen sat sewing by a window when she pricked her finger, three drops of blood falling onto the snow. She wished for a child with skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood, and hair as black as ebony. Soon, a daughter named Snow White was born, but the queen died. The King remarried a woman who possessed a magic mirror. Whenever she asked, 'Who is the fairest of all?' the mirror replied it was her—until Snow White grew up. Enraged by jealousy, the Queen ordered a huntsman to kill the girl. Taking pity, the huntsman let her flee into the woods. Snow White found a small cottage belonging to seven dwarfs, who offered her shelter. The Queen, discovering Snow White lived, disguised herself and tricked the girl into eating a poisoned apple. Snow White fell into a death-like sleep and was placed in a glass coffin. Years later, a prince was so moved by her beauty that he asked to take the coffin. As his servants carried it, they stumbled, dislodging the poison apple from her throat. Snow White awoke, and they were married, while the evil Queen met a bitter end.
The Moral
True beauty comes from within, while vanity and envy lead only to destruction.
“Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?”
Fun Fact
In the original 1812 edition of the tale, the villain was Snow White’s biological mother; the change to a stepmother was made in later editions to protect the sanctity of motherhood.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the moral of Snow White?
The story teaches that kindness and inner beauty prevail over vanity and jealousy. It serves as a warning that obsession with outward appearance can lead to one's downfall.
How does Snow White wake up in the original story?
Unlike the famous kiss in modern versions, the original Grimm story describes a prince's servants stumbling while carrying her glass coffin. The jolt dislodged the piece of poisoned apple from her throat, waking her.
What happens to the Evil Queen at the end?
In the Brothers Grimm version, the Queen is invited to Snow White's wedding as punishment. There, she is forced to put on red-hot iron shoes and dance until she falls down dead.
Were the seven dwarfs named in the original story?
No, the original Brothers Grimm tale does not give individual names or distinct personalities to the dwarfs. They were simply a group of seven miners who cared for Snow White.
Why did the Queen want Snow White's heart?
The Queen demanded the heart as proof of Snow White's death. In the original folklore, she actually intended to eat the internal organs to consume the girl's beauty and youth.
Is Snow White based on a real person?
Some historians believe the story was inspired by Margaretha von Waldeck, a 16th-century countess, or Maria Sophia von Erthal, whose father owned a mirror factory.