asked Snow-white . `` I must go to the wood and protect my treasure from the wicked dwarfs . In winter , when the earth is frozen hard , they are obliged to remain underground , for they ca n't work their way through ; but now , when the sun has thawed and warmed the ground , they break through and come up above to spy the land and steal what they can ; what once falls into their hands and into their caves is not easily brought back to light . '' Snow-white was quite sad over their friend 's departure , and when she unbarred the door for him , the bear , stepping out , caught a piece of his fur in the door-knocker , and Snow-white thought she caught sight of glittering gold beneath it , but she could n't be certain of it ; and the bear ran hastily away , and soon disappeared behind the trees . A short time after this the mother sent the children into the wood to collect fagots . They came in their wanderings upon a big tree which lay felled on the ground , and on the trunk among the long grass they noticed something jumping up and down , but what it was they could n't distinguish . When they approached nearer they perceived a dwarf with a wizened face and a beard a yard long . The end of the beard was jammed into a cleft of the tree , and the little man sprang about like a dog on a chain , and did n't seem to know what he was to do . He glared at the girls with his fiery red eyes , and screamed out : `` What are you standing there for ? Ca n't you come and help me ? '' `` What were you doing , little man ? '' asked Rose-red . `` You stupid , inquisitive goose ! '' replied the dwarf ; `` I wanted to split the tree , in order to get little chips of wood for our kitchen fire ; those thick logs that serve to make fires for coarse , greedy people like yourselves quite burn up all the little food we need . I had successfully driven in the wedge , and all was going well , but the cursed wood was so slippery that it suddenly sprang out , and the tree closed up so rapidly that I had no time to take my beautiful white beard out , so here I am stuck fast , and I ca n't get away ; and you silly , smooth-faced , milk-and-water girls just stand and laugh ! Ugh ! what wretches you are ! '' The children did all in their power , but they could n't get the beard out ; it was wedged in far too firmly . `` I will run and fetch somebody , '' said Rose-red . `` Crazy blockheads ! ''
snapped the dwarf ; `` what 's the good XXXXX calling anyone else ?
In after at into nearer of on out to upon