Story 2) Snow White

SNOW WHITE by Grimm

SW NEW VERSION
by Jenn~

Once upon a time in the middle of winter, when the flakes of snow were falling like feathers from the sky, a Queen sat at her window sewing, and her embroidery-frame was made of black ebony. And as she worked, gazing at times out on the snow, she pricked her finger, and there fell from it three drops of blood on the snow.

And when she saw how bright and red it looked, she said to herself, "Oh that I had a child as white as snow, as red as blood, and with hair as black as the wood of the embroidery-frame!"

In the high skies above the Queen’s palace, the mighty gods and goddesses heard her made her three wishes and started muttering angrily to each other:

“How vain!” Beauty declared.
“How snobbish!” Personality scowled.
“How shallow!” Wisdom murmured.
“To wish not for a daughter to love but for a daughter with looks to love!” Love said disapprovingly.
“Then… let’s give her one,” Fate said smiling with a smug look.

Soon after that the Queen had a little daughter, with a skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood, and hair as black as ebony, and she was named Snow White. And when the child was born, the Queen smiled very happily.

Princess Snow White grew prettier and prettier as the years passed and soon, she was five years old. The Princess was a beautiful lady, as beautiful as the day and far more so than the Queen herself when she was young. However, she was frequently pampered by her parents and her servants and soon turned into a proud and haughty princess, who could not bear to be surpassed in beauty by anyone. She possessed a wonderful looking enchanted mirror which could answer her when she stood before it and said—

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the most beautiful one of all?”
And the mirror would answer:
“You are the most beautiful one of all.”
And Snow White was contented, for she knew that the mirror spoke the truth.

That year, her mother gave birth to another daughter. The new Princess did not have skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood, and hair as black as ebony, thus the disappointed Queen named her Cinder Black. Cinder Black was often neglected as her parents fawned lovingly over Snow White.
Lonely from neglect, Cinder Black made friends easily with her lonely maids who were so far away from their home and often empathised with the orphans on the streets whom had no home to go to, for she knew the pain of loneliness as well as they do. Cinder Black soon grew up into a kind and loving girl. Every now and then, she would sneaked out of the palace to mingle with the common people and would listen attentively to the woes of the commoners. Cinder Black would always give everyone a bright smile, a friendly wave and a helping hand too if she could. Soon, she was known on the streets as “The Girl with the Beautiful Smile”.

One day, haughty Princess Snow White went to her mirror and said,
"Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the most beautiful one of all?"
And the mirror answered,
"Princess, you are beautiful, tis is true,
But Cinder Black is far more beautiful than you are."
This gave Snow White a great shock and she shouted furiously as the mirror:
“But how can that be! She does not have skin as fair as me, nor lips as red as me, nor hair as black as me!”
“Yes princess,” the mirror said, “She does not have skin nor lips nor hair as beautiful as yours, but she has a beautiful heart that is more beautiful than your looks can be.”
The princess did not know what having a beautiful heart means and how it can be more beautiful than her own lovely appearance. Thus, believing that the mirror was faulty, she walked away scowling, shouting to her servants to send the mirror for repair.

Years went by and soon, Snow White was twenty-one and Cinder Black was sixteen years old.
That year, three princes, Hikaru, Kaoru, and Tamaki, from a neighbouring kingdom came over for a visit. They were given a grand welcome, with crowds cheering at their arrival and a thousand guards to protect them from harm. The King, the Queen, Snow White, and Cinder Black received them at the grand hall.
When the princes first saw Snow White, they were captured by her radiant beauty and smiled charmingly at her. None could take their eyes off her when she smiled back at them and Snow White’s parents were overjoyed by the attention that their beautiful daughter received.
At night, as the grand golden clock in the palace struck seven, it was time for the dinner and the ball. The King and Queen, Snow White and Cinder Black, the Princes along with the most honoured Knights, Mages, Healers, Noblemen and their partners were all present as the dinner and ball started. All were dressed in their most magnificent gowns and suits, that glittered of diamonds, silver and gold.

Hikaru reached Snow White first through the crowd, smiling he bowed to her and ask her for a dance. Delighted, Snow White accepted and danced gracefully with him. They danced and chatted, danced and chatted. When the song ended, Hikaru kissed her on the cheek and left as his brothers, Kaoru and then Tamaki asked her for a dance. After the dances, Snow White swirled back to her regal golden chair dreamily and smirked at Cinder Black as she saw her sister getting a drink at the corner, thinking that no one has asked her ugly sister for a dance.
After resting for awhile, Snow White got up to her feet and swerved through the crowd towards the direction of the washroom.

Nearing the washroom, she heard muffled voices and she edged towards them in curiosity. Soon, the voices became clearer and she heard—
“Snow White?”
She jerked in surprise and delight when she heard the princes mention her name. Memories of her lonely sister flooded into her mind as she grinned smugly and leaned closer in the direction of the voices in anticipation.
“What thick layer of foundation powder she has!” Hikaru exclaimed.
“What heavy lip-gloss she wore!” Kaoru proclaimed.
“What thick make-up she wore!” Tamaki declared.
“EeWww!” the three princes said at the same time.
“Just before the ball, that vain snobbish princess was hollering at her servants for childish reasons too,” Hikaru said crossly.
“How could they treat poor Cinder Black so terribly? She is definitely so much more beautiful,” Kaoru said.
The other two agreed then lowering their voices they continued to speak in hushed tones. Princess Snow White was no longer listening. Outraged, she furiously stormed away as hatred built up in her heart, from that onwards, she hated Cinder Black, and vowed to have her heart for her own.

The next morning, she sent for a huntsman, and said: "Take Cinder Black out into the woods, so that I may set eyes on her no more. You must put her to death, and bring me her heart for a token."
The huntsman obeyed, and took Cinder Black away; Cinder Black looked at him fearfully but whispered: “Ah dear huntsman, if my sister would be happy at my death, kill me if you must.” Closing her eyes, she waited for her death. The huntsman drew his knife but did not stab her. Instead, he stabbed and killed a young wild boar that came running by at the moment.
“Dear Cinder Black,” he said softly, “I’ll never forget the kindness you’ve shown to me before, and for this, I cannot kill you.” Cinder Black opened her teary eyes but before she could protest, He continued,
“Our people needs you, and everyone would weep if you were to die. If Princess Cinder Black does not mind, my daughter will bring you to our humble dwelling”
And with that, she thanked him gratefully and walked slowly away with his daughter to their home. The huntsman then cut out the wild boar’s heart and took it to the Snow White as proof that her sister was dead. The Princess made the cook roast it, and ate it up, thinking that that was the end of Cinder Black and that she finally had her beautiful heart.

Soon, the huntsman’s daughter, Haruhi, and Cinder Black reached the small cottage that they live in.
As she walked in, Cinder Black noticed that everything was very pretty and clean as possible. There stood a table rady laid, and covered with a white cloth, and four little plates, and four knives and forks, and drinking-cups. By the wall stood four little beds, side by side, covered with clean white quilts.
“This is my brother, Mori, and this is my mother,” Haruhi introduced.
They smiled warmly at her but the princess could only smiled apologetically at them as she greeted them.
“It’s ok dear, make yourself at home” Mrs Wood said cheerfully. Then in a more serious tone, she added: “We will not let anyone harm you, precious princess.”
Thanking them again, Cinder Black, being very hungry and thirsty was served some porridge and bread, and a little cup of fresh juice. After her meal, she was given a spare bed to sleep in and was so tired that she fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow. It was quite dark when the huntsman came home. He did not wake her but let her sleep on, while speaking in hush tones to his family members.

The next morning, Cinder Black awoke, and was frightened for a moment when she saw that she was in a different place. But the reassuring voices of the Wood’s family calmed her down as she remembered where she was.
So she stayed with them, and spent all her time playing in the little house, the garden and with the neighbours’ kids. In the morning the huntsman and Mori would go to work and would return only in the evening.

Now Snow White, having thought she had eaten Cinder Black’s heart, felt quite sure that she now was again the most beautiful of all. However, she strangely did not feel happier at all. A sense of fear welled up in her heart for her little conscience told her that she had done something very terrible. Not only that, her sister’s maids were frantically looking for her early in the morning but they did not dare to tell her parents that Cinder Black is missing.
Wanting to be comforted from the uneasiness she felt, she went to her mirror and said,
"Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the most beautiful one of all?"
But the mirror answered,
"Princess, thou art of beauty rare,
But Cinder Black living in the huntsman cottage
Is a thousand times more beautiful."
When she heard that, Snow White was very angry, for the mirror never spoke falsely, and she knew that the huntsman must have deceived her, and that Cinder Black must still be alive. Angry as she was, some part of her felt a strange sense of relief but she brushed it away.
And so Snow White thought and thought again how she might kill her, for so long as she was not the most beautiful in the whole land, envy left her no rest. And then she went to a secret lonely chamber, where no one was likely to come, and there she made a poisonous apple. It was beautiful to look upon, being white with a red cheek, so that any one who should see it must long for it, but it contained a deadly poison.
She painted her face, and dressed herself like an old pedlar-woman, and no one could have known her.

In this disguise she sneaked out of the palace and went over to the huntsman’s house secretly. She knocked at the door and cried,
“Apples for sale! Fresh apples for sale!”
Cinder Black who was inside the house at the moment peeped out of the window and called, “Good-day, good woman. What have you to sell?”
“Apples, fresh from the orchard,” answered she and she showed Cinder Black her rosy red apples.
“Are they are nice?” Cinder Black asked. Snow White held out the apple for Cinder Black to try. But no sooner had she taken a morsel of it into her mouth than she fell senseless, and toppled onto the floor. Smirking with delight, Snow White went back to the palace.
Now, when the Snow White got home she went to the mirror and said,
"Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the most beautiful one of all?"
"Princess, thou art of beauty rare,
But Cinder Black living in the huntsman cottage
Is a thousand times more beautiful."
When she heard that, she trembled and shook with disbelief.
“How can that be! Cinder Black is dead!” she screeched at the mirror.
“True beauty does not die,” the mirror answered.
Snow White stared at the mirror, confused by its words. “What is true beauty then?” she shouted at the mirror but it was silent.

Back at the huntsman’s cottage, Mori came back from work and saw Cinder Black lying on the floor. Stunned, he quickly called for a healer and informed the rest of his family. His neighbours and all who knew where Cinder Black was came over looking very worried. The healer soon arrived and attended to her while the rest waited outside. After awhile, the healer came out and shooked his head, saying “I am sorry, she is still alive but the poison is too lethal and too difficult for me to get rid of it. We can only pray for her.”
Everyone was alarmed and very upset. ‘How could the princess with the beautiful smile die?!’ they thought sadly. And everyone was furious with Snow White.
Not getting any answer from the mirror, Snow White finally decided to visit the cottage again. ‘Maybe Cinder Black is still alive, that’s why…’ she thought. Disguised as a peddlar again, she went to the huntsman’s home.

When she reached the cottage, Snow White stared at the crowd that had gathered there. Some were weeping while others had looks of anguish, sadness and pain. Suddenly, before Snow White could make another move, a visiting Mage grabbed her by the arm and exposed her out of her disguise.
“Here’s Snow White the Murderer!” he shouted as everyone turned their heads to look at the commotion. In that instant, everything became chaotic. There was a frenzy of movements and there were screams and shouts for her imprisonment, her execution, and justice for poor Cinder Black. Snow White frantically tried to escape but could not as the Mage held on to her tightly, dragged her into the cottage and put her down beside Cinder Black’s bedside.
Snow White’s gaze landed and stayed fixed on Cinder Black’s ghostly pale face. Someone in the crowd shouted—
“How could you do such a thing to you sister!”
Snow White felt the pain of the wretched voice vibrating throughout her heart. Guilt suddenly welled up inside her, and a strange feeling of emptiness choked her. Trying in vain to suppress it, she whispered,
“I want to be the most beautiful woman in the land, but the mirror said that Cinder Black is more beautiful than I am… If I am not beautiful, my parents will neglect me and hate me too, like they did to Cinder Black,” Snow White sobbed. “What is true beauty? What is it that she has and I don’t?” she asked.
For a few moments, silence hung in the air. Finally, Mori spoke:
“My dear princess Snow White, true beauty comes from a person with a beautiful heart who is able to touch another person’s heart and captivate the heart and soul of another. Superficial beauty like yours comes from one’s appearance that captures the another’s mind but it does not last.”
He paused then continued,
“A person with a beautiful heart is one that loves and does kind, unselfish and sincere deeds to help others and the true smile on another’s face is a reflection of that beautiful heart. Your sister is truly beautiful because of the love she showered upon others through her beautiful heart.”

Snow White stared, comprehending slowly and then looked away shamefully. Finally, she knew what it meant. She had made a terrible mistake by blindly let jealously and vanity take over her and even tried to kill her own dear sister. With choking sobs, she apologised fevently to the crowd and frantically asked for help to carry her sister back to the palace for treatment. Soon, Cinder Black was back into the palace and a palace Healer was sent to tend to her.

Her parents were very shocked when they heard what she did. ‘How could my dear beautiful princess daughter do such a thing?’ the Queen thought to herself. Refusing to believe it, she asked Snow White if it was a lie. But Snow White cried out sobbing,
“No it was not a lie! I was… jealous…and stupid… I now know why they said Cinder Black is more beautiful than I am…
Mum, Dad! I’m sorry. ”
Snow White begged her parents for forgiveness. But her parents knew they could not lighten any punishment for the news of Snow White’s deed has already reached the ears of the visiting princes. Also, crowds of angry people had gathered outside the palace as the news travelled like wildfire from ear to ear.

"Oh that I had a child as white as snow, as red as blood, and with hair as black as the wood of the embroidery-frame!"

The Queen jerked in realization. She had made a dreadful mistake in wishing for a daughter with beautiful looks. For that was only a empty beautiful shell. By pampering Snow White and neglecting Cinder Black, she has caused Snow White to believe only in the beauty of looks. In the end, Snow White became so obsessed with it that she almost killed her own sister. Indeed, she was blind to not love both her dear daughters equally for they are both beautiful in the own ways. The Queen weeped. For her mistake has caused her two dear daughters to suffer.
For her crime, Snow White was then sent to the Cold Palace where she would be detained and had to live humbly. But because she repented, her sentence was shortened to five years. In the end, Cinder Black was well again while Snow White became humble and wiser.

With the sudden disappearance of the enchanted mirror, the sisters’ relationship with each other soon improve tremendously. And at the high skies above, the gods and goddess of Beauty, Wisdom, Personality, Love and Fate smiled contentedly.

*P.S. Japanese names are taken from Ouran High School Host Club anime! keke :P