Rose-red loved to run about the fields and meadows , and to pick flowers and catch butterflies ; but Snow-white sat at home with her mother and helped her in the household , or read aloud to her when there was no work to do . The two children loved each other so dearly that they always walked about hand in hand whenever they went out together , and when Snow-white said , `` We will never desert each other , '' Rose-red answered : `` No , not as long as we live '' ; and the mother added : `` Whatever one gets she shall share with the other . '' They often roamed about in the woods gathering berries and no beast offered to hurt them ; on the contrary , they came up to them in the most confiding manner ; the little hare would eat a cabbage leaf from their hands , the deer grazed beside them , the stag would bound past them merrily , and the birds remained on the branches and sang to them with all their might . No evil ever befell them ; if they tarried late in the wood and night overtook them , they lay down together on the moss and slept till morning , and their mother knew they were quite safe , and never felt anxious about them . Once , when they had slept all night in the wood and had been wakened by the morning sun , they perceived a beautiful child in a shining white robe sitting close to their resting-place . The figure got up , looked at them kindly , but said nothing , and vanished into the wood . And when they looked round about them they became aware that they had slept quite close to a precipice , over which they would certainly have fallen had they gone on a few steps further in the darkness . And when they told their mother of their adventure , she said what they had seen must have been the angel that guards good children . Snow-white and Rose-red kept their mother 's cottage so beautifully clean and neat that it was a pleasure to go into it . In summer Rose-red looked after the house , and every morning before her mother awoke she placed a bunch of flowers before the bed , from each tree a rose . In winter Snow-white lit the fire and put on the kettle , which was made of brass , but so beautifully polished that it shone like gold . In the evening when the snowflakes fell their mother said : `` Snow-white , go and close the shutters , '' and they drew round the fire , while the mother put on her spectacles and read aloud from a big book and the two girls listened and sat and span . Beside them on the ground lay a little lamb , and behind them perched a little white dove with its head tucked under its wings . One evening as they sat thus cosily together someone knocked at the door as though he desired admittance . The mother said : `` Rose-red , open the door quickly ; it must be some traveler seeking shelter . '' Rose-red hastened to unbar the door , and thought she saw a poor man standing in the darkness outside ; but it was no such thing , only a bear , who poked his thick black head through the door . Rose-red screamed aloud and sprang back in terror , the lamb began to bleat , the dove flapped its wings , and Snow-white ran and hid behind her mother 's bed . But the bear began to speak , and said : `` Do n't be afraid : I wo n't hurt you . I am half frozen , and only wish to warm myself a little . '' `` My poor bear , '' said the mother , `` lie down by the fire , only take care you do n't burn your fur . ''
Then she called out : `` Snow-white and XXXXX , come out ; the bear will do you no harm ; he is a good , honest creature . ''
Rose-red Snow-white before burn evening fire morning night resting-place sun