g home they
returned over the same common, and unawares walked up to a certain
clean spot, on which the Dwarf had shaken out his bag of precious
stones, thinking nobody was near. The sun was shining and the bright
stones glittered in its beams, and displayed such a variety of colors
that the two Maidens stopped to admire them.

[Illustration: THE TWO MAIDENS ARRIVED AND TRIED TO RELEASE THE BEARD
OF THE DWARF]

"What are you standing there gaping for?" asked the Dwarf, while his
face grew as red as copper with rage: he was continuing to abuse the
poor Maidens, when a loud roaring noise was heard, and presently a
great black Bear came rolling out of the forest. The Dwarf jumped up
terrified, but he could not gain his retreat before the Bear overtook
him. Thereupon he cried out, "Spare me, my dear Lord Bear! I will give
you all my treasures. See these beautiful precious stones which lie
here; only give me my life; for what have you to fear from a little
fellow like me? You could not touch me with your big teeth. There are
two wicked girls, take them; they would make nice morsels; as fat as
young quails; eat them, for heaven's sake!"

The Bear, however, without troubling himself to speak, gave the
bad-hearted Dwarf a single blow with his paw, and he never stirred
after.

The Maidens were then going to run away, but the Bear called after
them, "Snow-White and Rose-Red, fear not! Wait a bit, and I will
accompany you." They recognized his voice and stopped; and when the
Bear came, his rough coat suddenly fell off, and he stood up a tall
man, dressed entirely in gold. "I am a King's son," he said, "and was
condemned by the wicked Dwarf, who stole all my treasures, to wander
about in this forest in the form of a bear till his death released me."

Then they went home, and Snow-White was married to the Prince, and
Rose-Red to his brother, with whom they shared the immense treasure
which the Dwarf had collected. The old Mother also lived for many years
happily with her two children; and the rose-trees which had stood
before the cottage were planted now before the palace, and produced
every year beautiful red and white roses.

HANSEL AND GRETHEL

BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM

Once upon a time there dwelt near a large wood a poor wood-cutter, with
his wife and two children by his former marriage, a little boy called
Hansel, and a girl named Grethel. He had little enough to break or
bite; and once, when there was a grea