Snowdrop lived with her father in a cottage on the mountainside. One day, a strange old woman came to their cottage and said that she was her aunt. “I have come to take care of you,” she said.
But Snowdrop found her to be a nasty old woman, rude and cruel. one day, her father vanished. The old woman would make her work, work, work all the time. Snowdrop stayed because she hoped her father would return.
Once, Snowdrop went to the shop to buy some food. There she found a beautiful china pony on the shelf. She bought him too and hid him under her pillow.
At night Snowdrop was woken up by a china pony standing beside her bed. He said, “Climb on my back and come. This old woman is a wicked sorceress and she has imprisoned your father in an ogre’s castle.”
As they came out, the china pony told her, “Find the golden flower so that I may fly with you to the castle. He must be saved.” Snowdrop searched and found the golden flower. The china pony ate the golden flower and immediately it could fly. It took her to the castle of the ogre.
“You will see chests full of gold and gems,” warned the china pony, “But don’t touch them as they are enchanted. Go and find your father first.”
She ran through the rooms and up the stairs, looking for her father, ignoring the chests full of gold and gems.
She found the large and frightening green ogre sleeping next to a chest full of jewels. Her father was chained to a wall. Putting her finger to her lips, she crept up to the ogre and slowly pulled out the key from his belt.
Snowdrop released her father and they ran from the room. Unfortunately she stumbled over a jewel that lay on the floor and the ogre awoke! He lumbered after them but they reached the china pony who was waiting to fly them home.
The sorceress tried to stop them with lightning but china pony kicked the shaft of lightning at her and she was shattered. They reached home safely. Snowdrop was so happy that she hugged the china pony. He was transformed into a prince.
“The sorceress had put a spell on me,” he explained, “And turned me into a china pony. Your loving kindness broke the spell!”
The prince married Snowdrop and they lived happily ever after.
