
When summer comes, the bear tells them that he must go away for a while to guard his treasure from a wicked dwarf. The bear comes back every night for the rest of that winter and the family grows used to him. In the morning, he leaves trotting out into the woods. They let the bear spend the night in front of the fire. They play with the bear and roll him around playfully. Snow-White and Rose-Red beat the snow off the bear, and they quickly become quite friendly with him.

They let the bear in, and he lies down in front of the fire. "I'm half frozen and I merely want to warm up a little at your place," he says. At first, she is terrified, but the bear tells her not to be afraid. One winter night, there is a knock at the door. They are both very good little girls who love each other and their mother dearly, and their mother is very fond of them as well. Dark-haired Rose-Red is outspoken, lively and cheerful, and prefers to be outside.

Fair-haired Snow-White is quiet and shy and prefers to spend her time indoors, doing housework and reading. Snow-White and Rose-Red are two little girls living with their mother, a poor widow, in a small cottage by the woods.
