It was a very bright and sunny afternoon. The breeze blew gently as I played in the forest near our house. Suddenly, I saw a bright, white light coming from my favourite oak tree. I stepped towards it hesitantly.

The light seemed to invite me to climb the tree and I began my journey upwards, one branch at a time. It was quite hard for me since the light was right at the top and I was not used to climbing trees. However, my curiosity kept me going.

When I reached the top of the tree, a dazzling light started where the tree finished. The light was a clear white and it seemed to me like a portal to another world. I tentatively put one hand in the light and when nothing happened, I jumped in.

The landscape around me had changed completely. I could see a small house that looked strangely familiar. I was sure that I had seen it before, but I could not recall where. Then, I saw seven dwarfs emerging out of the tiny house. I realised that I had landed into my favourite fairy tale, Snow White!

I approached the dwarfs nervously and then said “Hello!”

“Who are you?” the youngest dwarf asked.

I paused for a second, unsure what to say. I decided it was best to be honest, so I told them all about my world and how I had ended up here. I also told them about the book I had read about them.

“I always thought that there was another dimension,” the oldest dwarf remarked.

“If you have read our book, you could help us to defeat the Evil Queen!” the youngest dwarf exclaimed with excitement.

“I will do my best,” I replied.

The Evil Queen was my greatest fear, but Snow White was my idol. We all went inside and I sat down near the fireplace, beside Snow White. I was about to ask Snow White about her real mother when the doorbell rang.

There was a young woman standing on the doorstep who offered Snow White an apple. I immediately recognised the woman as Snow White’s stepmother. I could not resist and threw the tennis ball from my pocket straight at the apple that Snow White had been about to eat. The apple fell to the floor and as it broke open, the poison gushed out. The stepmother began to run, but she tripped over the poison in her frenzy.

To everyone’s great surprise, Snow White ran to aid her stepmother and offered her a hand.

“She tried to kill you with that apple!” exclaimed one of the dwarfs.

“I know, but I have forgiven her and you should do the same,” Snow White replied with a beautiful smile.

At this, tears of remorse came to the stepmother’s eyes, and she realised how much she had mistreated Snow White. For the first time, she looked at Snow White with the eyes of a friend, instead of an enemy.

Published in Dawn, Young World, November 13th, 2021