Ask it something day or night
It always got the answer right
For instance, if you were to say
“Oh Mirror, what’s for lunch today?”
The thing would answer in a trice
“Today it’s scrambled eggs and rice.”
Now every day, week in week out
The spoiled and stupid Queen would shout
“Oh Mirror Mirror on the wall
Who is the fairest of them all?”
The Mirror answered every time
“Oh Madam, you’re the Queen sublime
You are the only one to charm us
Queen, you are the cat’s pyjamas.”"
-exerpt from Roald Dahl's poem, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Though Roald Dahl notoriously makes versions of fairy tales that are more shocking than the well known versions, even he couldn't make Snow White more violent than it already is.
However, he of course adds his own clever spin on the story, including a very creative use for a mirror that always tells the truth, which Snow White steals from the Queen. This seems so obvious, why have I never wondered why she didn't do this before? Of course this assumes that Snow White is aware of the existence of the Mirror and its magical properties, which is not necessarily a given.
Illustration by Arthur Rackham
I had this on a cassette when I was a child, I listened to it loads! Thank you for reminding me of it! x
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