SNOW WHITE AND HER SISTER

Once upon a time, in a far away land, there ruled a queen and her daughter in a majestic kingdom. One winter day, the queen’s daughter, Princess Thea went wandering around in the garden, she kept walking and walking until she stopped when she saw an ebony tree covered with snow, as she wandered her hand on the trunk, she was wounded on the finger by a sharp branch and three drops of blood fell to the snowy ground. Just then she told herself,

“How I wish to have a little girl to love whose lips red as the blood, hair black as ebony and skin white as the snow.”

Months later, Thea’s wish came true; a princess was born by the queen whose lips were bloody red, ebony-black hair and snow-white skin. The newly born princess was called by the name Sophia, and she was loved by all including the Princess Thea herself.

Days later Queen Gertrude, the ruler of the kingdom asked her Magic Ball, “Magic Ball of truth, who is the fairest one of all?”

“You are, my queen.” The Magic Ball answered, and Queen Gertrude was very pleased by the Ball’s words that no false fell to her ear. Queen Gertrude kept asking the Magic Ball the same question, and the Magic Ball still answered the same every day.

As the years went by, the queen asked the Ball again, “Magic Ball of truth, who is the fairest one of all?”

“Famed is thy beauty, Majesty. But hold a lovely maid I see. Alas, she is fairer than thee.” The Magic Ball answered the truth.

“Alas! Reveal her name.” Queen Gertrude commanded the Magic Ball.

“Lips are red as blood. Hair is black as ebony. Skin white as snow.” The Magic Ball fulfilled her order. Then, Queen Gertrude in shocked knew who was the maid the Magic Ball said; it was her daughter, “Sophia!”

Princess Sophia grew into a lovely girl, but she doesn’t love by her beauty but by her gentle grace. While walking by the garden, Sophia saw a wishing well, so she went to wish along with the little blue birds.

“I'm wishing for the one I love to find me today. I'm hoping and I'm dreaming of the nice things he'll say.” Sophia wished and went back inside the palace.

From her balcony, she saw a young man climbing the castle wall. It’s a thief she thought and about to run to call the guards, but before she did that the young man spoke,

“Wait, please don’t run away. Forgive me for intruding your domain but I am Prince Fredrick, your highness.”

The young man said who is in fact a prince made Sophia’s heart in love.

“Why did you come, my prince?” Sophia asked Prince Fredrick.

“Your sweet voice led me here your words drowned me in a pool of love so that is why I am here. And you must be the Princess Sophia.”  The prince said.

“Yes I am.”

“So it is true then, you do have a gentle beauty.”

After knowing each other, Prince Fredrick said good-bye to Sophia and rode back to his castle, but the young man promised the little princess that they would meet again someday.

Later, Queen Gertrude summoned Princess Thea.

Thea: Did you called, my queen?

Queen Gertrude: Yes, I did. I called because I want you to take Sophia to the forest where she can pick berries as many as she wants.

Thea: Yes, my lady.

Queen Gertrude: And there, my loyal daughter, you will kill her!

Thea: But your majesty! The little princess…

Queen Gertrude: Silence! Do you need to protest the queen?!

Thea: No, my queen.

Queen Gertrude: Then obey my orders, and do not fail to bring me… her heart.

On the next day, Thea took Sophia in the forest. Sophia began to pick the strawberries and the cherries as Thea drew closer with a dagger on hand. When a shadow blocked her view, Sophia turned around and saw Thea ready to stab her; she then screamed and covered herself. Thea remembering her love for the little girl dropped the dagger and knelt.

“I can’t, I can’t kill you. Forgive me, Sophia. Forgive me.” Thea said as she wept in front of Sophia.

“Why, Thea?” Sophia said and motioned her sister to stand.

“She is jealous of you and wants you dead.”

“Who?”

“The queen!”

“The queen?”

“Yes, you must run from here and don’t come back. Go!” Thea spared her life and forced her to run so she would be safe. Alas! Thea would never see the little girl she loved.

Standing there alone, Thea didn’t know what to do until a wild boar came; she killed the pig and took its heart back to the palace.

Running in the woods, not knowing where to go, Sophia kept running and running while monstrous eyes passed by. She ended up crying with fear in the middle of the forest however she didn’t know that she was watched by the forest animals. The animals took pity for the young girl and they led her to a small cottage.

Inside the cottage were seven little chairs and seven little beds.

“Why, they must be seven little children.” Sophia said and looked at the jumbled table.

“I say they must be seven little untidy children. I know how about I’ll clean the house for them and they will let me stay.”

With the help of the woodland creatures, Sophia cleaned the whole room from top to bottom, but also they helped her cooked Sauerbraten.

Meanwhile, deep inside the mountains were seven little dwarfs digging gold and jewels. After a hard day of work, the seven dwarfs returned to their cottage late at night and found it all clean inside.

“The floor is been swept.”

“The windows been dusted.”

“Our cups have been washed.”

“It seems like the whole place is been cleaned.”

The dwarfs then knew that someone was in the house, and so they searched every corner of the room, the animals hid themselves and have no time to wake Sophia for the dwarfs have done their search at the lower domain and went upstairs to continue.

In their bedroom, they saw their sheets rising as if someone is asleep. It is a ghost they thought, so the dwarfs armed themselves with their clubs and lamps while they came closer and closer.  When the seven dwarfs were at the edge of their tiny beds they took the sheets away and they didn’t stroke the creature but stared at Princess Sophia’s gentle grace.

“What is it?” one of the dwarfs asked.

“It’s a girl.” The other answered with a smile.

“She is very beautiful.” A dwarf said to his fellow dwarfs

“She was made in the arms of a gentle queen.” Another dwarf added.

For all of the sudden, the young woman began to wake up making the dwarfs hide themselves at the foot of the beds.

“I wonder if the children returned.” Sophia said as she yawned.

After rubbing her eyes, she saw seven little men peeping at her; she was surprise that the men were not humans but dwarfs! The seven dwarfs asked her who she was and why she was in their cottage, Sophia replied their questions and told her story that brought them to pity.

“Please don’t send me away. I will do all the house chores for you if you let me stay.” Sophia begged them.

“Don’t worry princess; we will make sure that you are safe as a repayment for your kindness.” The dwarfs answered.

Back to the castle, Prince Fredrick climbed the castle walls to see Sophia again. Unfortunately, Queen Gertrude saw him and knew what he was up to, so she summoned her guards to capture the prince.

In prison, Prince Fredrick was wondering where was Sophia, just then the dungeon door opened and Thea herself entered with bread and water.

“Don’t worry, my prince I mean you no harm. I brought you food and drink for your thirst and starvation.”

The prince accepted the princess’ offer and he asked, “My lady, do you know where Sophia is?”

“I know not where she is, but I believe that she is alive somewhere in the woods.” Princess Thea replied.

Prince Fredrick then listened to Thea’s life story and it led the prince to tears. After a few minutes, the queen entered in the dungeon and found Thea giving her pity to the prince. Queen Gertrude dragged Princess Thea out of the dungeon to the court.

“Princess Thea of Hohenzollern, you are banished from this day forward for breaking ‘my’ law of the forbidden pity for the piteous. Any last words before you exile?”

“Yes, you don’t have the final words, Gertrude. Only love can conquer all of you evilness. You will repay greatly for what you have done to me and to Sophia!” Princess Thea answered boldly while she looked straight to the queen’s evil eyes.

“We’ll see, Lady Thea. Take her away!” The queen scoffed.

Thea wandered through the woods and everything was dark, she didn’t know where she was until she saw a light and smoke coming out from the cottage.

“I hope the owners will let me stay for the night.” Thea told herself and ran toward the door. She knocked three times and the door opened revealing a lovely maid with ebony hair and white skin, it was Sophia!

Sophia: Thea!

Thea: Sophia!

Sophia: What are you doing here? What happened?

Thea: Prince Fredrick was taken prison and I was banished from the kingdom for pitying the prince.

Sophia: Oh!

Thea: But, I swear I will set him free, Sophia I swear. Please let me stay for the night.

Sophia: Yes, please do come in and make yourself comfortable, this cottage will be your home now.

Thea: Oh thank you!

Sophia was glad that she has her companion again; the dwarfs then gave their guest a warm welcome with a warm dish for the cold night and a spare bed for her to sleep.

After Thea’s exile, Queen Gertrude asked the Magic Ball with a box in hand, “Magic Ball of truth, who now is the fairest one of all?”

“Over the seven jeweled hills, beyond the seventh fall, in the cottage of the Seven Dwarfs with Lady Thea, dwells Sophia, fairest of them all.” The Magic Ball answered.

“Sophia lies dead in the forest. Thea might be there and has brought me proof that Sophia is not alive. Behold her heart.”

“Sophia still lives, fairest in the land. ’Tis the heart of a pig you hold in your hand.” The Ball answered truth.

“Then I've been tricked!” the queen answered in rage and flew to her secret domain.

In her secret room, she disguised herself as an old woman dressed in black and made an apple out of her poisonous formula. She put the poison apple on her basket and voyaged to the dwarfs’ cottage.

Meanwhile, the seven dwarfs danced and sang joyously for the two ladies and they made them laugh. Next, the men and Thea, even the animals gather to hear Sophia’s love song for her prince.

“Someday my prince will come.

Someday will meet again and away to his castle we’ll go.

We’ll be happy for all of I know.

Someday my love is here.

We’ll find our lives in peace.

And our joy will never cease.

The lovely bells will ring.

Someday my prince will come.”

Sophia ended her song as the audience sigh in impress. Just in time that the clock alarmed for getting off to bed.

By the next day, the seven dwarfs were going to the mountains to look for gold and jewels again while Thea would go to gather wildflowers, so Sophia was left alone in the cottage.

“One advice, princess: Do not let anyone come inside the house, you know the queen is cunning and sly so be careful.” The dwarfs said as a warning to the maid.

“Don’t worry. I promise I will be all right.” Sophia replied and bids the little men farewell.

“Now, remember what the seven little lads said, ‘Don’t let anyone come inside’. I won’t take too long to pick blossoms, Sophia. So make yourself comfortable and do what you please but be caution.” Thea advised the pretty lass while she was fixing her cape.

“I will. Take care yourself, my lady.” Sophia said as Thea went off.

Sophia went back inside to make blueberry pies for her companions. Before she started her task, an old woman in black came into view.

“All alone, my pet?” the hag asked slyly.

“Yes, I am?” the little princess answered.

“Baking pies?” the old lady asked again.

“Yes, blueberry pies.”

“Its apple pies that make folks’ mouths water especially apples that are red.” The old woman said hoarsely as she showed the bloody-red apple to Sophia.

“Oh it looks delicious!” the maiden responded.

“Yes, would you like a bite?” the sly hag suggesting her.

Behind those trees were blue birds, and they notice and sure that the old woman was the evil Queen Gertrude herself, so they flew to the old woman and started to claw and pecked her as Sophia came outside to rescue the hag.

“Stop it! Stop hurting her. Oh you poor granny, are you okay?”

“Oh please! Have pity on me, please give some water. Please bring me into your house.” The evil queen who was an old lady in disguise tricked the princess, and so Sophia was deceived by the hag’s evil claws and brought her in the cottage. The birds flew and call all the animal creatures to get help.

They ran and flew to an open meadow and found Thea picking roses.

“What happened?” she asked the creatures, and they responded with panic and fear. Thea knew Sophia was in trouble and said that they must go to the dwarfs for more help.

To the mountains they flee. The dwarfs saw the forest animals running after them.

“What happened?” one of the dwarfs asked.

“It’s the queen! Sophia is in trouble!” Thea replied in panic, and then all of them responded.

“The queen?!”

“She founds out where she is!”

“We must hurry. We must save her!”

Now all of them rushed back to the cottage while the sky grew dark.

Meanwhile, in the cottage,

The old lady: Now, my pet. For your kindness, I offer you this apple.

Sophia: Why I love to but…

The old lady: But it’s not just an apple, it is a wishing apple.

Sophia: A wishing apple?

The old lady: Yes, my pretty. One bite and all your dreams will come true.

The evil queen gave the apple to Sophia, and the latter made a wish,

“I wish my prince and I will live happily ever after.”

She took a bite and alas! Princess Sophia was dead.

The evil queen melted her disguise and laughed for her triumph as she walked out from the cottage, and then she saw Thea and the seven men running through the storm. The queen ran deep through the woods and her road ended by the precipice. Even she was trap, she was still cunning. She picked up the rod and started to push the enormous rock to the bottom where Thea and the seven dwarfs making their way to the top. To prevent the queen, Thea ran fast to the top and blocked the rock from falling.

Queen Gertrude: Thea! How dare you lie to your mother-queen?!

Thea: Gertrude! You are no queen and I will never serve a false queen. And how dare you to kill my husband?! How dare you to take away our kingdom?! How dare you to kill my daughter Sophia?!

Queen Gertrude: To late for you! Sophia is dead! And she doesn’t know that you are her mother!

Thea: It’s too late for you too, Gertrude. You still don’t have the final say!

A lightning bolt stroke Queen Gertrude’s ground, and she fell to her death along with the rock that was been pushed by the true queen, Thea. The dwarfs along with Queen Thea saw not the enemy but her corpse.

That very night, Queen Thea, the seven dwarfs, the animals even the heavens wept for the death of the beloved Princess Sophia. In Queen Thea’s point of view, she was thinking of the past.

It all started on a bright summer day, Queen Thea and King Ranulf rejoiced with their kingdom for the queen was pregnant, but Gertrude, a countess with dark magic who once was King Ranulf’s first love was jealous of Thea. One night, she broke through the kingdom, the king’s men fought her but she was stronger than any of them. She went to the royal chamber to kill the queen with her child, however King Ranulf stepped forward and fought for his wife and child but he was defeated and looked at his pregnant wife then Gertrude saying,

“Please, Gertrude I beg of you. Spare my wife and child’s lives don’t kill them, kill me instead.”

Gertrude was not satisfied at his deal, so she said,

“I will spare their lives if you will give me your kingdom and I will take your wife and child as my possessions.”

Queen Thea loved her people and the others than herself, she was about to disagree but her husband answered quickly, he said yes and the evil Gertrude killed the king.

After many days of Gertrude’s reign, the people suffered from her vices and corruption. It was then that one winter day, Sophia was born but the evil queen forbids Thea to tell her that she was the child’s mother due to Gertrude wants Sophia to be her child but she became her enemy when Sophia grew more beautiful than her.

And there Queen Thea stopped remembering her past.

In the morning, the seven dwarfs found out that Queen Thea was gone and they knew not where she was which brought the men to more tears. So beautiful, even in death they don’t have the heart to bury her so they placed her on a coffin made out from glass and write her name in gold with flowers and petals on her bed. Later, Queen Thea returned and with her was Prince Fredrick himself. The dwarfs opened the coffin so the prince could see his love clearly.

“She is still the fairest I’ve seen in my life though she is now dead. Alas! Farewell, my love.” He said and he bent down to kiss the delicate red lips. A moment later, Sophia opened her eyes. At last! She was alive, and Queen Thea came to her to embrace her little daughter, it was then that Sophia called her for the first time,

“Thank you, mother!”

“How do you know that I am your mother?” the queen asked in surprised.

“Because you always want to see me happy.” The daughter replied.

Queen Thea motioned Prince Fredrick to Sophia and he carried her in his arms. The dwarfs and animals laughed and danced around for Sophia being alive again. She bided everyone good bye and off she went with Prince Fredrick to his castle.

At last! Princess Sophia and Prince Fredrick were wedded and they have a daughter who resembled the mother, and they named her Snow White. And they all lived happily ever after!