52 Weeks of Fairy Tales Week #16 - Snow White and Rose Red

Yesterday I caught up on last week's fairy tale post, and chose to share the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs for Week #15.  While I was reading about Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, I kept coming across the Grimm's story of Snow White and Rose Red, in fact my Grimm's collection only has the story of Snow White and Rose Red.  The two stories are completely different and different characters, so I thought I would share Snow White and Rose Red this week.

The story starts with a kind poor widow, who lives in a cottage with her two children.  In her garden she has two rose bushes, one is as white as snow, and the other bright red.  Her two very kind and loving daughters were just like the rose bushes, one was called Snow White and the other Rose Red, they loved each other very much and were the best of friends.  Snow White was the quieter sister, and preferred to help around the house and read to her mother, and Rose Red was the more rambunctious sister and loved to frolic and play outdoors.   Both sisters were always very kind to one another, and shared everything.

One winter evening, the girls and their mother were sitting by the fire when there was a knock at the door.  Mother told the girls to answer right away as it might be a cold traveler that needed warming by the fire.  When the girls answered the door, they were startled to find a bear.  The bear was cold and asked to come in and sit by the fire, and promised not to hurt them, mother let the bear in, and after awhile the girls decided it was safe and came and sat next to the bear and helped to remove the snow from his fur.

Through the whole winter the bear came every evening to warm himself by the fire, and the girls became his friend.  When winter came to an end, the bear said that he must leave for the summer to protect his treasure from a wicked dwarf, the snow had kept the dwarf in his mountain tunnels, but now that the snow was melting the dwarf would be able get out.  The girls were sorry to see their friend go, and as the bear left, a bit of his fir snagged on the door hinge, snow white thought she saw a glimmer of gold beneath his fur.

One day mother sent Snow White and Rose Red out to gather sticks, as the girls were gathering wood, they came upon a dwarf who was  having quite a fit because his beard was caught in a tree.  The dwarf called the girls to help, but the only way that his beard could be removed was for the girls to cut it out with scissors.  When the girls freed the dwarf he was angry at them for cutting his beard, and very ungrateful, he grabbed a bag of treasure from the tree and ran off.

Throughout the summer the girls came upon the dwarf a few more times, once saving him when his beard was caught in his fishing line, and a large fish was about to pull him under, another time when an eagle had a hold of him and was about to carry him away. Each time the dwarf was mean and ungrateful, and ran off with his treasure.

They came upon the dwarf one last time, as the dwarf was pouring out his treasure to admire it.  The treasure was beautiful and the girls stopped to stare at it shining in the sunlight.  The dwarf became very furious at Snow White and Rose Red, and was about to go off on an angry rant, when all of a sudden there was a large growl, and a bear came out from the woods.  The dwarf offered the bear his treasure to leave him alone, then he told the bear not to eat him, but instead the little girls.  The bear didn't listen to a word the dwarf said, and instead gave the dwarf a mighty hit with his paw, the evil little dwarf never moved again.

The girls had of course run off during this, but the bear called after them, "Snow White, Rose Red! Don't be afraid!"  At once they recognized his voice, it was their friend, the bear.  As the bear approached the girls, his skin fell off, and a handsome prince dressed in gold appeared.  He explained to the girls that the wicked dwarf had stolen his treasure and turned him into a bear, and the only way to break the spell was for the dwarf to die.

The prince married Snow White and the prince's brother married Rose Red, they split the dwarfs treasure, and all lived very well.  Snow White and Rose Red's mother came to live with them in the castle, and brought with her, her two rose bushes, each year she had the most beautiful white and red roses.  They all lived happily ever after.

~

I really enjoyed this story, and loved learning a new tale.  Here is the Wikipedia link to Snow White and Rose Red, they have a very nice picture of Snow White and Rose Red.

For this story I decided to do a page for our fairy tale scrapbook, and had fun working with glitter and paper.  

Here is another look at my Snow White Rose Red fairy tale scrap book page.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend, I am very excited for the weather which is supposed to be summer temperatures, perfect for my Earth Day Plans to plant my new Cherry Tree with the family, and maybe even fire up the grill!