We all know the story of Snow White. Beautiful girl gets banished and hunted by her witch stepmother, assisted by seven dwarfs and poisoned by a cursed apple, only to be awoken by true love’s kiss. But what about the other people in the story? What were the dwarfs really thinking? What were they really like?

Dopey’s Reality
We are at the mine again. I’m looking around the cave, at my brothers, and I’m wondering what’s running through their minds. Are they happy? They look serious, stressed, and tired. I pick up two sapphires and put them in my eyes and turn to Doc. I’m trying to make him laugh and smile, but all he does is scold me.
I pick up one of the stones and think of all the hard work that went into getting it. I smile as I think of my family and this business we run. I put it into the cart and-Ah!
Doc taps me and reminds me to get going, as a grandfather would to a child. We head out and I start to throw the bag into the vault with one swing…another swing…one last swing, and I- FORGOT TO LET GO!
I land myself in the vault and scramble to get out so I don’t fall behind. After I lock the door, I see this beautiful, graceful butterfly. Its top wings are blue, and the bottom half white, with a hint of red woven into the intricate pattern. The butterfly starts to bring an image to my mind that I slowly push back. I watch the butterfly fly away, off towards the sun and the rest of the world. I almost forget to put the key back because of the butterfly, but forgetting is a part of my routine anyways.
As I run to catch up, I realize they didn’t know I had fallen behind. If I talked it would be like a pin dropping to the floor. The noise is there but no one would hear it. Reality is absurd compared to the bustling streets of my mind. I don’t mind though. I’m just glad to be where I am and with the family I have.
I have to run to catch up to my brothers, but I end up tripping on my clothes. They’re a bit big for me and I look like one potato in a potato sack. That’s because they’re all hand-me-downs. That’s ok though. I want to be more like my brothers anyways.
They enter the house and I follow behind, admiring the beauty of the world, and thinking back to that butterfly. There are many mysteries in this world that leave me wondering about this place we call home. We enter the door and I immediately notice the house is miraculously clean. I’m looking around at the house in awe, wondering how this happened, when I see a girl in our bed and everyone hiding. I dive in to join them like a swimmer jumps into a pool. They all pop up, trampling over me. Grumpy checks to make sure I’m okay, but I still pop up once they all are down again.
The girl wakes up and smiles at us. She asks us how we are. I’m perplexed yet intrigued by this beautiful mystery. I see her skin fair, like the white of that butterfly. Her lips are red, in the same hue as the wing. And her dress is blue, just like the body. I’m mesmerized by her, but feel as though her features are familiar. The butterfly’s colors, familiar. The kindness behind her eyes, familiar. Suddenly I’m drawn away from this place, through the crowded streets of my mind to meet a face I thought I’d forgotten; my mother’s.

Grumpy’s Reality
It’s another day at the mines. I look at my brothers wondering about how we’ve gotten to where we are. We are all digging at the cave, getting gems. It takes harmony of hard work from all of us, a team effort. We end the long day and start to head home. I lead my brothers out, thinking about this life we built. They’re all whistling and singing cheerfully and I mutter along, slowing the pace slightly so Dopey can catch up, but not enough that the others notice.
I notice how everything is glowing on the way home, with a certain happiness. My brothers all call me Grumpy because they think that’s what I am. But really, they just don’t understand me. They are all content most of the time. Recklessly so. Someone needs to be cautious and watch out for us. Someone needs to have walls. And that person is me. I’m okay with that because it enables everyone else to remain happy and carefree. The last time I was like that was before mothe…a long time ago.
As we get home, I see that something’s different. Wrong. The house is clean. Immediately my mind flashes on a pair of warm eyes, a kind smile… I instantly stop thinking and come back to reality. I make sure everyone is with me, 1..2..3..4..5..6 dwarfs, when I see the girl in our bed. THERE’S A GIRL IN OUR BED. SHE THOUGHT SHE COULD JUST COME AND SLEEP IN OUR BED?! The audacity. Barging into our home and use our things!
As she starts to stir, I stop and see the face again. I hear the melodic voice. Then I’m back in the room as we all go scrambling. We’re running around until I dive down beneath the bottom of the bed and hide my brothers with me. I’m hiding partly from the trespassor, and partly from the face that keeps invading my thoughts. We start poking our heads up to get a look at her, and poor Dopey gets stuck underneath everyone. I help him up and look at him. He’s always so happy and content with life. Though I’d never admit it, sometimes I wonder what it would be like to be him. And sometimes I’m jealous of his ability to be simplistically happy. But someone has to protect us and be vigilent.
She looks at us and asks how do we do. How do we do? This girl broke into our house and is sleeping in our bed! I look at everyone and they’re all mesmerized by her. Instantly I’m on edge. Where they soften I must hold strong. No one can penetrate my walls. Even though she looks like mother.
She goes around naming us, and with every person, I can see they like and trust her more. Her eyes are warm. She looks innocent enough, but looks can be deceiving. I should know that. She turns to me, crosses her arms and says in a pouty voice “And you’re Grumpy!” I feel my face redden and cross my arms. Who does she think she is? Her face softens and she smiles at me. In that moment, I feel my walls begin to fall and reminisce in before, when mother did those things. When she said that same line and made me laugh. And then she was gone. I push my emotions away, cementing my face and mind. And they will not be broken, not even by this girl.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash