Snow White, Character

"Snow White" is a German fairy tale that spread throughout Europe and became one of the most famous fairy tales on Pre Astro Terra. It was first published in 1812 in the first edition of the collection Grimms' Fairy Tales. The Brothers Grimm completed the final revision of the story in 1854.

Variations
Over the centuries since publication, this tale has been told in almost every possible way, including visual and audio media and in all major Terran languages and many offworld ones. The details very in almost as many ways, including attempted cannibalism, different love interests, different eras in time and the fate of the Evil Queen.

Plot
In the collection's first edition, a Queen gives birth to a baby girl who is as white as snow, has lips red as blood and has hair as black as ebony. They name her 'Snow White,' but sadly, the Queen dies after giving birth to her.

The King reweds a year later, to a beautiful but also unutterably wicked and vain woman. The new queen possesses a magic mirror which she asks every morning, "Magic mirror in my hand, who is the fairest in the land?" The mirror always replies, "My queen, you are the fairest in the land." When Snow White reaches the age of seven,   she becomes more beautiful than the Queen, and when the Queen asks her mirror, it responds, "My queen, you are the fairest here so true. But Snow White is a thousand times more beautiful than you."

The Queen becomes yellow and green with envy and from that hour on, her heart turns against Snow White, and she hates her more and more each day. Envy and pride, grow in her heart every day, until she has no peace day or night. Eventually, the Queen orders a huntsman to take Snow White into the woods to be killed. The huntsman leaves her behind alive, convinced that the girl would be eaten by some wild animal. He instead brings the Queen the lungs and liver of a young boar, which is prepared for and eaten by the Queen.

After wandering for days, Snow White discovers a cottage belonging to seven dwarfs. Since no one is at home, she eats some of the tiny meals, drinks some of their wine and then tests the beds. The last bed is comfortable enough for her and she falls asleep. When the dwarfs return home, they become aware that someone snuck in, because their home is in disorder. During their discussion about who sneaked in, they discover the sleeping Snow White. The girl wakes up and explains to them what happened and the dwarfs take pity on her, saying: "If you will keep house for us, and cook, make beds, wash, sew, and knit, and keep everything clean and orderly, then you can stay with us, and you shall have everything that you want." They warn her to be careful when alone at home and to let no one in when they are away delving in the mountains.

The Queen asks her mirror once again: "Magic mirror in my hand, who is the fairest in the land?" The mirror replies: "My queen, you are the fairest here so true. But Snow White beyond the mountains at the seven dwarfs is a thousand times more beautiful than you." The Queen is horrified to learn that the huntsman has betrayed her and that Snow White is still alive. The Queen makes two unsuccessful attempts to kill Snow White.

As a third and last attempt to rid herself of Snow White, she consults the darkest magic and makes a poisoned apple. She offers it to Snow White in the disguise of a farmer's wife. The girl is hesitant to accept it, so the Queen cuts the apple in half, eating the harmless half and giving the poisoned half to Snow White. The girl eagerly takes a bite and falls into a state of suspended animation, causing the Queen to triumph. This time the dwarfs are unable to revive the girl, and assuming that she is dead, they place her in a glass coffin.

Time passes and a prince traveling through the land sees Snow White. He go to her coffin and, instantly falls in love with her. The dwarfs succumb to his entreaties to let him have the coffin, and as his servants carry the coffin away, they stumble on some roots. The tremor caused by the stumbling causes the piece of poisoned apple to dislodge from Snow White's throat, awakening her. The Prince then declares his love for her, and soon a wedding is planned. The couple invite every queen and king to come to the wedding party, including Snow White's stepmother. Meanwhile the Queen, still believing that Snow White is dead, again asks her magical mirror who is the fairest in the land. The mirror says: "You, my queen, are fair so true. But the young Queen is a thousand times fairer than you."

Appalled, in disbelief, and with her heart full of fear and doubts, the Queen is at first hesitant to accept, but she eventually decides to go. Not knowing that this new queen was indeed her stepdaughter, she arrives at the wedding, and her heart fills with the deepest of dread when she realizes the truth. As a punishment for her attempted murders, a pair of glowing-hot iron shoes are brought forth with tongs and placed before the Queen. She is forced to step into the burning shoes and to dance until she drops dead.