the room there stood a little table, covered with a white tablecloth,
and seven little plates and forks and spoons and knives and tumblers.
Side by side against the wall there were seven little beds, covered with
snow-white counterpanes. Snowdrop felt so hungry and so thirsty that she
ate a bit of bread and a little porridge from each plate, and drank a
drop of wine out of each tumbler. Then feeling tired and sleepy she lay
down on one of the beds, but it wasn't comfortable; then she tried all
the others in turn, but one was too long, and another too short, and
it was only when she got to the seventh that she found one to suit her
exactly. So she lay down upon it, said her prayers like a good child,
and fell fast asleep.

When it got quite dark the masters of the little house returned. They
were seven dwarfs who worked in the mines, right down deep in the heart
of the mountain. They lighted their seven little lamps, and as soon as
their eyes got accustomed to the glare they saw that someone had been in
the room, for all was not in the same order as they had left it.

The first said:

'Who's been sitting on my little chair?'

The second said:

'Who's been eating my little loaf?'

The third said:

'Who's been tasting my porridge?'

The fourth said:

'Who's been eating out of my little plate?'

The fifth said:

'Who's been using my little fork?'

The sixth said:

'Who's been cutting with my little knife?'

The seventh said:

'Who's been drinking out of my little tumbler?'

Then the first Dwarf looked round and saw a little hollow in his bed,
and he asked again:

'Who's been lying on my bed?'

The others came running round, and cried when they saw their beds:

'Somebody has lain on ours too.'

But when the seventh came to his bed, he started back in amazement, for
there he beheld Snowdrop fast asleep. Then he called the others, who
turned their little lamps full on the bed, and when they saw Snowdrop
lying there they nearly fell down with surprise.

'Goodness gracious!' they cried, 'what a beautiful child!'

And they were so enchanted by her beauty that they did not wake her, but
let her sleep on in the little bed. But the seventh Dwarf slept with his
companions one hour in each bed, and in this way he managed to pass the
night.

In the morning Snowdrop awoke, but when she saw the seven little Dwarfs
she felt very frightened. But they were so friendly and asked her what
her name was in such