themselves very soon tired, when they would often sit down under a
shady tree, and grieve for the loss of their carriage and fine
clothes, and say to each other, "What a mean-spirited, poor, stupid
creature our young sister is, to be so content with this low way of
life!" But their father thought differently, and loved and admired his
youngest child more than ever.

After they had lived in this manner about a year the merchant received
a letter, which informed him that one of his richest ships, which he
thought was lost, had just come into port. This news made the two
eldest sisters almost mad with joy, for they thought they should now
leave the cottage, and have all their finery again. When they found
that their father must take a journey to the ship, the two eldest
begged he would not fail to bring them back some new gowns, caps,
rings, and all sorts of trinkets. But Beauty asked for nothing; for
she thought in herself that all the ship was worth would hardly buy
everything her sisters wished for. "Beauty," said the merchant, "how
comes it that you ask for nothing? What can I bring you, my child?"

"Since you are so kind as to think of me, dear father," she answered,
"I should be glad if you would bring me a rose, for we have none in
our garden." Now Beauty did not indeed wish for a rose, nor anything
else, but she only said this that she might not affront her sisters;
otherwise they would have said she wanted her father to praise her for
desiring nothing. The merchant took his leave of them, and set out on
his journey; but when he got to the ship some persons went to law with
him about the cargo, and after a deal of trouble he came back to his
cottage as poor as he had left it. When he was within thirty miles of
his home, and thinking of the joy of again meeting his children, he
lost his way in the midst of a dense forest. It rained and snowed very
hard, and, besides, the wind was so high as to throw him twice from
his horse. Night came on, and he feared he should die of cold and
hunger, or be torn to pieces by the wolves that he heard howling round
him. All at once he cast his eyes towards a long avenue, and saw at
the end a light, but it seemed a great way off. He made the best of
his way towards it, and found that it came from a splendid palace, the
windows of which were all blazing with light. It had great bronze
gates, standing wide open, and fine court-yards, through which the
merchant passed; but not a livin