Section 1
Once, a long time ago, a tsar had to leave his realm and participate in a battle. The queen, his expectant wife, was left home and was waiting anxiously at the window for him to come back. She gave birth to a stunning baby girl. However, the queen's pregnancy and childbirth had an awful effect, and she passed away on the very day that the tsar was finally allowed to go to his homeland.
After mourning for a year, the tsar finally found a new woman to replace the deceased queen. She had an outstanding body, was tall, and looked fantastic. She was, however, also impulsive, envious, and arrogant. She enjoyed holding her mirror in her hand and asking it while primping her hair, "Oh mirror, my mirror, who's most beautiful across the land?"
The mirror would respond to her question. "Oh my beloved, you are the most pretty. Your features and appearance are extraordinary". The queen would then chuckle like a kid and continue doing what she did.
In the meantime, the tsar's daughter blossomed into a sweet young princess. She surpassed the queen in beauty because to her lovely black brows and glowing skin. She didn't have to wait long to get engaged to the confident and attractive Prince Elisey, the guy of her dreams.
Right after the engagement, when the queen questioned the mirror again who was the most beautiful among everyone. the mirror said " You are attractive I should admit, darling, but now the princess is more charming"
The envious queen erupted in rage, yelling at the mirror and tossing it to the ground on a chair. The queen was so enraged that she summoned a chambermaid and gave an instruction to carry the princess deep into the forest, tie her to a tree, and leave her alone for the wolves.
The princess was carried off into the woods and left there by the chambermaid, who would never consider opposing the queen. But she opted against tying the young princess to a tree because she felt sorry for her.
The princess was by herself as she walked in the night through the enormous oak trees. She noticed an old country home in the morning. A dog approached the terrified princess barking, and as she got close to it, licked her feet, and then happily ran about her. The princess greeted her new friend, petting and saying "Good boy!"
She then went inside and saw that nobody was there. She peered inside and noted the wall-mounted saints' icons and the dining room's fine wood furnishings. She began to feel more at ease when she realized that this place was populated with decent, honest people. She walked around the remainder of the home before curling up on a bed to nap in the late afternoon.
A short while later, the home's owners—seven brave knights—arrived back for the evening. Their home was neatly organized, spotless, and they immediately recognized something was wrong. The princess approached them, apologized for her commotion, and made a nice bow to them. She was adopted by the knights, as if she were their sister as they were in fact kind-hearted.
Days went by calmly for everyone. The princess would tidy up the home and make a meal when the knights went hunting. She was so endearing and appealing to the knights that they eventually asked her to choose one of them as her spouse. She graciously declined, stating that she simply loved them as brothers. Additionally, she told them about the Prince Elisey, the love of her life.
At that time, in the realm the queen asked who was now most beautiful as she again sat down in front of her mirror. The mirror answered " You are pretty I must confess, but still she is fairer, the princess"
The princess wasn't deceased and the queen was furious that her chambermaid had gone against her order. She made the choice to murder the princess by herself.
Soon after, the queen showed up at the home of the seven knights dressed as an elderly beggar-woman. She was unable to step onto the porch due to the dog's violent barking. The princess was so nice that she approached the elderly woman and threw her a piece of bread. In gratitude, the woman offered the princess a red, luscious apple. The dog barked as to warn the princess. The princess attempted to calm the dog with a delicate touch but she didn't understand. She then returned home.
As she waited for the knights to return from their hunt, she eventually grew quite hungry and took a tiny piece of the apple that appeared to be very juicy. She suddenly tottered, fell to the ground, and died on a nearby seat.
The dog was barking loudly as the knights arrived home. As soon as they entered the house, the dog raced inside the princess's chamber, they could sense something was happening. He finished the last bite of the apple with a single bite and then passed away, giving up his life to ensure the security of his masters.
