there was once a poor widow who lived in a lonely cottage. in
front of the cottage was a garden wherein stood two rose-trees,
one of which bore white and the other red roses. she had two
children who were like the two rose-trees, and one was called
snow-white, and the other rose-red. they were as good and
happy, as busy and cheerful as ever two children in the world
were, only snow-white was more quiet and gentle than rose-
red. rose-red liked better to run about in the meadows and fields
seeking flowers and catching butterflies; but snow-white sat at
home with her mother, and helped her with her house-work, or
read to her when there was nothing to do.
the two children were so fond of each another that they always
held each other by the hand when they went out together, and
when snow-white said, "we will not leave each other," rose-red
answered, "never so long as we live," and their mother would add,
"what one has she must share with the other."
they often ran about the forest alone and gathered red berries, and
no beasts did them any harm, but came close to them trustfully. the
little hare would eat a cabbage-leaf out of their hands, the roe grazed
by their side, the stag leapt merrily by them, and the birds sat still upon
the boughs, and sang whatever they knew.
no mishap overtook them; if they had stayed too late in the forest, and
night came on, they laid themselves down near one another upon the
moss, and slept until morning came, and their mother knew this and
had no distress on their account.
