SNOW WHITE FINDS SEVERAL SMALL MEN

Snow White wandered through the forest for  three days.  She ate the food the Huntsman had given her and gathered berries wherever she found them.  Springs of sparkling water were plentiful and she was never thirsty.  At night she slept under the Huntsman's cloak while the animals in the woods stood guard.  On the fourth day she saw a colorful cottage just ahead and ran to the door.

The house of seven small men

Snow White knocked on the bright yellow door, but no one came.  She was bitterly disappointed, but decided to wait for the occupants to come home.  When afternoon came, her food was gone and she felt very tired so she lay down on the soft grass and fell deeply asleep.  At twilight seven small men who had been working in their fields nearby came home, tired from a hard day's work.

"There is a young girl asleep in front of our house," said one little man to the others.

The leader of the group, who was very wise, said, "She is little more than a child.  Let us be careful not to frighten her."

The small men encircled Snow White,studying her quietly and wondering from where she had come.  In a few minutes Snow White opened her eyes and smiled at the little men who she felt sure would help her as they looked kind.

Eagerly she sat up and said, "Gentlemen, I have been wandering in the forest for three days and I have eaten all my food.  Could you possibly give me something to eat?"

The small men all began to speak at once until their leader, who was called Anselm, held up his hand for silence.

"My child, you must come in and share our dinner with us.  We would be honored to have you as our guest," said Anselm, extending his hand to Snow White.  "Please come in."

So Anselm and his small
friends--Billingslea, Chaucer, Danforth, Ernest, Frankenberry and Geoffrey--shared their meal with their guest, the very grateful Snow White who laughed more that evening than she had for years.  She felt happy and safe.

After dessert Billingslea, who was quite shy, told Snow White there was a small guest cottage in the back. "Would you do us the honor of staying the night there and taking breakfast with us before you journey on?"

"Oh, kind sir, I would be in your debt.  Thank you, Billingslea!"

So Snow White was led to the tiny cottage by the little men, all holding candles to light her way.  The seven gentlemen bid her Good Night, saying they would see her at breakfast.

The tiny cottage was tidy and warm and after blowing out the candles, the grateful princess slipped under the covers and arranged the cloak of the Huntsman over the eiderdown and then fell into a dreamless sleep.

While Snow White was sleeping, the Fairy Queen was giving birth to a tiny, perfect baby

in the Enchanted Forest.