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'Thou, queen, art the fairest in all this land: But over the

hills, in the greenwood shade, Where the seven dwarfs their

dwelling have made, There Snowdrop is hiding her head; and she Is

lovelier far, O queen! than thee.'

Then the blood ran cold in her heart with spite and malice, to

see that Snowdrop still lived; and she dressed herself up again,

but in quite another dress from the one she wore before, and took

with her a poisoned comb. When she reached the dwarfs' cottage,

she knocked at the door, and cried, 'Fine wares to sell!' But

Snowdrop said, 'I dare not let anyone in.' Then the queen said,

'Only look at my beautiful combs!' and gave her the poisoned one.

And it looked so pretty, that she took it up and put it into her

hair to try it; but the moment it touched her head, the poison

was so powerful that she fell down senseless. 'There you may

lie,' said the queen, and went her way. But by good luck the

dwarfs came in very early that evening; and when they saw

Snowdrop lying on the ground, they thought what had happened, and

soon found the poisoned comb. And when they took it away she got

well, and told them all that had passed; and they warned her once

more not to open the door to anyone.