ed,

"Good-day, good woman, what have you to sell?"

"Good wares, fine wares," answered she, "laces of all colours;" and she
held up a piece that was woven of variegated silk.

"I need not be afraid of letting in this good woman," thought
Snow-white, and she unbarred the door and bought the pretty lace.

"What a figure you are, child!" said the old woman, "come and let me
lace you properly for once."

Snow-white, suspecting nothing, stood up before her, and let her lace
her with the new lace; but the old woman laced so quick and tight that
it took Snow-white's breath away, and she fell down as dead.

"Now you have done with being the fairest," said the old woman as she
hastened away.

Not long after that, towards evening, the seven dwarfs came home, and
were terrified to see their dear Snow-white lying on the ground, without
life or motion; they raised her up, and when they saw how tightly she
was laced they cut the lace in two; then she began to draw breath, and
little by little she returned to life. When the dwarfs heard what had
happened they said,

"The old pedlar woman was no other than the wicked queen; you must
beware of letting any one in when we are not here!"

And when the wicked woman got home she went to her glass and said,

"Looking-glass against the wall,
Who is fairest of us all?"

And it answered as before,

"Queen, thou art of beauty rare,
But Snow-white living in the glen
With the seven little men
Is a thousand times more fair."

When she heard that she was so struck with surprise that all the blood
left her heart, for she knew that Snow-white must still be living.

"But now," said she, "I will think of something that will be her ruin."
And by witchcraft she made a poisoned comb. Then she dressed herself up
to look like another different sort of old woman. So she went across the
seven mountains and came to the house of the seven dwarfs, and knocked
at the door and cried,

"Good wares to sell! good wares to sell!"

Snow-white looked out and said,

"Go away, I must not let anybody in."

"But you are not forbidden to look," said the old woman, taking out the
poisoned comb and holding it up. It pleased the poor child so much that
she was tempted to open the door; and when the bargain was made the old
woman said,

"Now, for once your hair shall be properly combed."

Poor Snow-white, thinking no harm, let the old woman do as she would,
but no sooner was the