ecret for the hardships she was now obliged
to suffer; but in a very short time she said to herself, "All the
crying in the world will do me no good, so I will try to be happy
without a fortune."

When they had removed to their cottage, the merchant and his three
sons employed themselves in ploughing and sowing the fields, and
working in the garden. Beauty also did her part, for she rose by four
o'clock every morning, lighted the fires, cleaned the house, and got
ready the breakfast for the whole family. At first she found all this
very hard; but she soon grew quite used to it, and thought it no
hardship; indeed, the work greatly benefited her health. When she had
done, she used to amuse herself with reading, playing her music, or
singing while she spun. But her two sisters were at a loss what to do
to pass the time away: they had their breakfast in bed, and did not
rise till ten o'clock. Then they commonly walked out, but always found
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