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When spring had come and all outside was green, the bear said one

morning to Snow-white: 'Now I must go away, and cannot come back

for the whole summer.' 'Where are you going, then, dear bear?'

asked Snow-white. 'I must go into the forest and guard my

treasures from the wicked dwarfs. In the winter, when the earth

is frozen hard, they are obliged to stay below and cannot work

their way through; but now, when the sun has thawed and warmed

the earth, they break through it, and come out to pry and steal;

and what once gets into their hands, and in their caves, does not

easily see daylight again.'

Snow-white was quite sorry at his departure, and as she unbolted

the door for him, and the bear was hurrying out, he caught

against the bolt and a piece of his hairy coat was torn off, and

it seemed to Snow-white as if she had seen gold shining through

it, but she was not sure about it. The bear ran away quickly, and

was soon out of sight behind the trees.