Snow-White and Rose-Red

Snow-White and Rose-Red - Two helpful girls, a bear and an ungrateful dwarf

A widow lived with her two daughters in a little house in the forest. Snow-White was gentle and Rose-Red was rather lively. There were two rose trees in the garden, red and white like the girls. One evening there was a knocking on the door and an enormous bear came in. The bear was chilled to the bone. "Don't be afraid", he said. "I just want to warm myself up." Soon the bear appeared every evening and became a friend to the girls. He had to take his leave in the spring. When he went he got stuck in the door and a bit of his fur tore off. Snow-White believed she had seen some golden sparks under it.

A few days later Snow-White and Rose-Red discovered a tiny dwarf. His long white beard was caught in a tree and he was jumping backwards and forwards in front of it. "What do you think you are staring at?" yelled the dwarf. "Free me!" So Snow-White cut of the end of his beard with a pair of scissors. "Uncouth people", complained the dwarf. "Just cutting off my beard like that!" He grabbed his bag full of gold and set off. A little while later the girls rescued the dwarf from drowning after he had fallen into the stream while fishing. The third time, an eagle had seized the little dwarf and wanted to carry him away. The girls held firmly on to the dwarf until the eagle let go. "Oh dear, now my jacket is in tatters", the dwarf complained and disappeared into his hole with a sack full of precious stones.

On their fourth meeting the dwarf was sorting his precious stones on a lawn. The girls were amazed how they sparkled so wonderfully. "What are you staring at?" yelled the dwarf. There was a loud roaring from behind a bush and the bear appeared. The dwarf was horrified and shouted "Spare me! Eat those two instead, they are tenderer than I am. I'll give you all my precious stones." The bear responded by killing the dwarf with a powerful swipe of his paw.

Suddenly the fur fell off and a handsome prince appeared, clad in a golden gown. "The dwarf put a curse on me and stole my treasure", he said. Soon he married Snow-White. Rose-Red was wedded to his brother.