My Tale: Surviving Darkness, Embracing Light

My earliest memories are bathed in the warm glow of my mother’s love. Sadly, she passed away when I was very young. After that, my father remarried, bringing a new queen into my life. Initially, I hoped we could be a happy family, but I was terribly wrong.

As I blossomed into a young woman, my stepmother’s jealousy grew. She was obsessed with being “the fairest in the land.” One fateful day, she ordered her huntsman to take me into the forest and kill me. I was terrified. I begged for my life, and to my surprise, the huntsman couldn’t bring himself to do it. Instead, he let me flee deep into the woods.

I ran until I was exhausted, my heart pounding. Just when I thought all was lost, I stumbled upon a tiny cottage. It was filled with seven small beds, a table, and chairs. The place was a mess, so I decided to clean it up. As evening fell, the owners of the cottage returned—seven dwarfs. They were miners. When they learned of my plight, they offered me a place to stay.

I was grateful for their kindness. Each day, I cooked, cleaned, and took care of the cottage while they were at work. Life in the cottage was simple yet filled with happiness. But my stepmother hadn’t given up. Disguising herself as an old peddler woman, she found me. She offered me a shiny red apple. I was wary, but she seemed so harmless. The moment I took a bite, I fell into a deep, death - like sleep.

I don’t know how long I lay there. The dwarfs were heartbroken when they found me. They placed me in a glass coffin and kept watch over me. Then, one sunny day, a prince from a far - off kingdom came across the cottage. When he saw me in the coffin, he was struck by my beauty. He leaned in and kissed me. Miraculously, the poison was broken, and I woke up.

The prince asked me to marry him, and I said yes. We held a grand wedding, and I finally found the love and happiness that had eluded me for so long. My stepmother, upon hearing of my marriage, was filled with rage. But she could do nothing to harm me anymore. Now, I live in the prince’s castle, surrounded by love, and I look back on my journey with a sense of gratitude. It taught me that even in the darkest of times, hope and love can prevail.