B1. Snow White: Part 2

Chapter 4: The Evil Plan

As Snow White grew older, she became truly stunning.

The queen hated her more every day. Finally, she made an evil plan.

The queen called her best huntsman to her room. “Take Snow White into the forest. Kill her and bring me her heart.”

That afternoon, the huntsman asked Snow White, “My princess, the baby deer are learning to walk today. Would you like to see them?”

“Oh yes! I’ve always dreamed of seeing baby deer,” she said, putting her hands on her heart.

That afternoon, they both walked deep into the forest.

Snow White enjoyed being outside the castle. She gathered flowers and sang to the birds.

“What pretty flowers!” she said happily. “I’ll give them to the queen when we get home.”

The huntsman said nothing.

As they walked farther into the forest, Snow White noticed the huntsman’s silence. “Is something wrong?” she asked.

There were tears in his eyes. Then, he looked away from her.

Snow White was nervous, but tried not to think about it. He’s always been kind to me, she thought. I shouldn’t fear.

“Why are we going so far?” she asked.

The huntsman stopped walking. He took out his knife with shaking hands. Snow White’s heart beat very fast.

“What’s wrong?” she asked him.

The huntsman fell to his knees. He cried, “The queen told me to kill you. But I cannot do it! My princess, you are too kind and too good.”

“Please don’t kill me!” she begged. “I’ll run away and never come back!”

“Run as far as you can!” he said. “The forest can protect you better than I!”

She ran into the thick forest. She ran until her legs hurt. She had never felt so alone and scared.

Strange sounds came from every direction. Wolves howled.

She ran faster, but didn’t know where to go.

Meanwhile, the huntsman killed a deer and brought its heart to the queen.

The queen was satisfied, thinking Snow White was dead.

Chapter 5: The Seven Dwarfs

Snow White kept running. The forest got darker and the moon was full.

She huddled under a large tree. Every sound made her jump. Tears filled her eyes.

She held her mother’s necklace close and thought, Mother, I wish you were here to guide me.

Through the fog, she saw a small cottage. Maybe someone can help me, she hoped.

She knocked on the door, but no one answered. Quietly, she entered the cottage.

Inside, it smelled of fresh bread and pine. The fire was welcoming.

Everything in the house was very small. There were seven little beds, seven little chairs, and seven little plates on the table.

Snow White explored the house. She was careful not to break anything.

She was hungry, so she ate a little food from each plate and drank a little from each cup. Then she slept across three of the beds.

Later that night, the front door opened. The people who lived there came home.

They were seven little dwarfs who worked in the mountains. When they saw Snow White asleep, they jumped in fright!

“Shh! Don’t wake her,” said the first dwarf.

“Who is she?” asked the second dwarf.

“She doesn’t look like she’s from this forest,” said a third.

They let her sleep longer, and slept on the floor themselves.