Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-02-07
Little Snow.White.
REroLD FROM THE RUSSIAN FOLKLORE.

ANN"HN''A
A very old couple once lived lonely life
in their little house about mile from
village. Being childless, the long winter
evenings were to them very tedious. One
evening while the man sat doing in his
chair, he dreamed a dream, and when he
awoke he at once rose to carry out his Wis.,
ion. Enchanting, al know now what to
do" and rushing out of the house he walked
quite stretch on the snow-covered high
way. Upon certain spot he took hand
full Of snow, rolled and pressed it into a
ball, brought it to his home and laid it
upon the tile stove, covering it with fur.
He waited quite while by its side but
his attention was for moment drawn
to something else, and as he turned his
glance once more to the snow ball he saw
that it had suddenly changed into most
beautiful babe. The oveijoyed pair at
once named her Snow-White. Their happi-
ness seemed to have no bounds, for now
they were no more childless, but had an
other being to care for, caress, feed and
dress.
Snow-White grew and grew till she was a
good.sized girl and she not only grew in
stature, but also in beauty. Once when able
to go out alone and play with other chill
dren, Snow-White and her playmates went
into the forest to gather wild berries. After
while one of the children said: Let us
do our utmost and she who gathers the most
berries will receive from her parents new
red gown and be the first to get married
At the cross-road from the village we will
decide who is the lucky maiden to be thus
blessed
When late in the afternoon they came to-
oath ar al bo tal
| found that Snow-White had the most Der
ries. The others, jealous of her good for
tune, at once began to ill.use her, and one
of them holder than the rest gave her a
blow, upon which Snow-White fell to tbs
ground lifeless. When her companions saw
what they had done they were filed with
horror and were full of dread of the punish
ment that would surely befall them if theil
act should be discovered, and they finally
decided to bury little Snow-White there ant
then deep in the ground, so that no one
should find out what had happened. They
dug grave under pine tree near little
brook, placed the body in it, threw the earth
over it again, and covered it up with clear
soil level with the region around them afte
which they all returned to their homes
When they passed the house of Snow
Whites parents they were asked, "Whert
is our little darling ?" "Oh, we don
know" answered they all in unison, she
took another path in the forest, and mus
have missed u.s. Perhaps she has lost he
way. We looked for her long time, but
fearing that it would become very dark anc
stormy we gave up the search and started
for home" The old man at once went ou
to find his lost darling. He called her, bu
received no reply. Many day and nigh
he repeated the search, but she could not bt
heard or found. Both the old man and hi,
good wife were still more lonely than before
for now they missed the pstter of the little
feet and the prattle of the child's voice
| The cried and cried, but little Snow-Whitt
did not return to to them.
In the meantime there grew on Snow
Whites grave by the brook a bulrush o.
unusual beauty and height. One day
teamster drove by with load of merchan
disc for the store keeper in the next village
and noticing the reed, thought that it would
make a very fine flute, he being gooc
| player upon that instrument. Descending
from his seat he cut down the bulrush and
made flute from it. Soon after, when ht
neared the village, he became very thirsty
and stopped at the house of the old people
who lately had lost their darling and asked
them for drink of something to quenef
his great thirst. They brought him large
| jug of mead, and when he had drunk they
invited him into the house to partake witt
them of their MONDAY meal. When tht
teamster had both rested and refreshed
himself, he took the flute and said, " Now
to thank you for your kind hospitality,
will entertain you with little music.
Placing the flute to his lips he tried to play
| but in place of musical sounds the instru
ment gave forth words only, in plaintive
human voice. And this is what the fut,
said:
DUNN, DUNN, dideldum. Dearest ia
ther and mother mine, do you know why
cry? Do you know that the girls who wer,
with me gathering berries have killed m,
out of jealousy because | obtained NOR,
than they did, and that they buried me un
der the pine tree and stamped the grounC
hard upon me. DUNN, DUNN, dideldum.
The old man, with tears in his eyes
begged the teamster to hand him this strange
flute and when he had taken it he said
"This is most wonderful instrument
1t is made of a reed, yet it has the voice O.
human being. If you will make me [
present of it will give you anything you
may desire"
"No, will take nothing for it. Yor
have treated me so kindly that you are wei
come to it." Saying this, the teamster tool
his departure.
When alone again, the old man said to hi
wife Sc am fully persuaded that this is {
miracle. What think you, dear wife, shoulc
we not break this flute in two and see what
is inside ?"
She consented and behold there was theil
darling SnowWhite again, alive and in al
her beauty.
Great joy again was in their midst, ant
the three lived happier than ever before
Soon after, when Snow-White was of mar
riageable age, noble and rich sutton askeC
for her hand, and she married him with
the consent of her parents, who also moved
out of their little house into large paac,
and lived to a very old age. But Snow
| Whites former companions all dice
wretched old enthusiastically Republican.