She had a magic looking-glass, and she used to stand before it, and look in it, and say,

        »Looking-glass, looking-glass on the wall,
        Who is fairest of us all?«

And the looking-glass would answer,

        »Thou, O Queen, are the fairest of them all.«

And she was contented, for she knew that the looking-glass spoke the truth.

Now, Snow-White was growing prettier and prettier, and when she was seven years old she was as beautiful as day, far more so than the queen herself.  So one day when the queen went to her mirror and said,

        »Looking-glass, looking-glass on the wall,
        Who is fairest of us all?«

It answered,

        »O Queen, you are full fair, 'tis true,
        But Snow-White is fairer than you.«

This gave the queen a great shock, and she became yellow and green with envy, and from that hour her heart turned against Snow-White, and she hated her.  And envy and pride like ill weeds grew in her heart higher every day, until she had no peace day or night.  At last she sent for a huntsman, and said,  »Take the child out into the woods, so that I may set eyes on her no more.  You must put her to death and bring me her lungs and liver for a token.«

 

 

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