Snow-White and Rose-Red kept their mother’s cottage so clean that it gave pleasure only to look in.  In summer-time Rose-Red attended to the house, and every morning, before her mother awoke, placed by her bed a bouquet which had in it a rose from each of the rose-trees.  In winter-time Snow-White set light to the fire, and put on the kettle, after polishing it until it was like gold for brightness.  In the evening, when snow was falling, her mother would bid her bolt the door, and then, sitting by the hearth, the good widow would read aloud to them from a big book while the little girls were spinning.  Close by them lay a lamb, and a white pigeon, with its head tucked under its wing, was on a perch behind.

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One evening, as they were all sitting cosily together like this, there was a knock at the door, as if someone wished to come in.

“Make haste, Rose-Red!” said her mother; “open the door; it is surely some traveller seeking shelter.”  Rose-Red accordingly pulled back the bolt, expecting to see some poor man.  But it was nothing of the kind; it was a bear, that thrust his big head in at the open door.  Rose-Red cried out and sprang back, the lamb bleated, the dove fluttered her wings and Snow-White hid herself behind her mother’s bed.  The bear began speaking, and said, “Do not be afraid:  I will not do you any harm; I am half-frozen, and would like to warm myself a little at your fire.”

“Poor bear!” the mother replied; “come in and lie by the fire; only be careful that your hair is not burnt.”  Then she called Snow-White and Rose-Red, telling them that the bear was kind, and would not harm them.  They came, as she bade them, and presently the lamb and the dove drew near also without fear.

“Children,” begged the bear; “knock some of the snow off my coat.”  So they brought the broom and brushed the bear’s coat quite clean.

After that he stretched himself out in front of the fire, and pleased himself by growling a little, only to show that he was happy and comfortable.  Before long they were all quite good friends, and the children began to play with their unlooked for visitor, pulling his thick fur, or placing their feet on his back, or rolling him over and over.  Then they took a slender hazel twig, using it upon his thick coat, and they laughed when he growled.  The bear permitted them to amuse themselves in this way, only occasionally calling out, when it went a little too far, “Children, spare me an inch of life!”

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When it was night, and all were making ready to go to bed, the widow told the bear, “You may stay here and lie by the hearth, if you like, so that you will be sheltered from the cold and from the bad weather.”

The offer was accepted, but when morning came, as the day broke in the east, the two children let him out, and over the snow he went back into the wood.

After this, every evening at the same time the bear came, lay by the fire, and allowed the children to play with him; so they became quite fond of their curious playmate, and the door was not ever bolted in the evening until he had appeared.