Groggy, Weepy, and Gutsy led Snow White into their house on the other side of the forest and introduced her to their four brothers; Laffy, Snappy, Speedy, and Hugo. Each politely bowed to Snow White as his name was called. Then there was a moment of awkward silence broken when Hugo asked Weepy the reason why they had brought Snow White there. Weepy promptly burst into tears. “She was being kidnapped!” he wailed before collapsing on the floor.

The other six dwarves looked at Snow White who nodded. “It’s true, I was…”

“Tell us why,” broke in Speedy, who was awarded with a slap on the arm by Snappy.

“About a year and a half ago my mother died and in a year my father remarried to an evil witch. My new stepmother corrupted my father and caused him to hate me. I tried to please both by wearing the dresses that they liked, learning my lessons, and anything else they wanted me to do. But then came the last straw, they were trying to force me to fall in love with someone that I knew nothing about, so I ran away. But my evil stepmother sent a man to hunt me down and bring me back to her. If it weren’t for you and a box of hardtack, I may have been locked up forever in a tower!”

The dwarves grunted at Snow White’s revelation (except Weepy who had burst into tears again). “We must discuss what to do with you” said Hugo, pushing the rest into a corner. After a quiet discussion (aside from Weepy’s tears), Hugo came back with the groups answer. “We will let you stay here under one condition: You cook and clean for us.”

“Alright” reluctantly agreed Snow White. She couldn’t do either very well, but decided that cooking and cleaning was better than going back to live with her stepmother.

 

The huntsman was rudely awakened by a snail crawling up his neck. His brain swum as he tried to remember why he was in the middle of the forest. The huntsman sat up straight and flicked the surprised Horace unto Arion’s flank. The huntsman looked around for the three strange men and Snow White. Upon seeing no one, the huntsman tried to find some tracks or a clue to where Snow White might have gone. After searching for hours, the huntsman had to return to the king and queen empty-handed.

The king and queen were heartbroken. Their daughter had run away! It was too much to take in, they issued many posters with a description of the princess and placed on them the promise of a large reward. But to no avail, only eight people in the world knew where Snow White was, and none of them would tell.

To be continued…