Though her stepmother was a wicked woman, she too was very beautiful, and a magic mirror told her this every day, whenever she asked it. “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the loveliest lady in the land?” The reply was always; “You are, your Majesty,” until the dreadful day when she heard it say, “Snow White is the loveliest in the land.” The stepmother was furious and, wild with jealousy, began plotting to get rid of her. Calling one of her servants, she bribed him with a rich reward to take Snow White into the forest, far away from the castle. Then, unseen, he was to put her to death. The greedy servant, attracted to the reward, agreed to do this deed, and he led the sweet little girl away. However, when they came to the fatal spot, the man’s courage betrayed him and, leaving Snow White sitting beside a tree, he mumbled an excuse and ran off. Snow White was thus left all alone in the forest.