第290页 / 共626页

When she heard this she turned pale with rage and envy, and

called to one of her servants, and said, 'Take Snowdrop away into

the wide wood, that I may never see her any more.' Then the

servant led her away; but his heart melted when Snowdrop begged

him to spare her life, and he said, 'I will not hurt you, thou

pretty child.' So he left her by herself; and though he thought

it most likely that the wild beasts would tear her in pieces, he

felt as if a great weight were taken off his heart when he had

made up his mind not to kill her but to leave her to her fate,

with the chance of someone finding and saving her.