his ship,
without being troubled to do shopping for me."

But the sisters were very much offended, and went off to sit in their
own room to talk of the fine things they would have when their father
came back.

In the meantime the merchant went his way to the city, full of hope
and great plans as to what he would do with his money.

But when he got there, he found that some one had played a trick on
him, and no ship of his had come into harbor, so he was just as badly
off as before.

He spent the whole day looking about to make sure there was no truth
in the letter he had received, and it was beginning to get dusk when
he started out, with a sad heart, to make the journey home again. He
was tired and miserable, and he had tasted no food since he left home
in the morning.

It was quite dark by the time he came to the great wood through which
he had to pass to get to his cottage, and when he saw a light shining
through the trees, he decided not to go to his home that night, but
to make his way towards the light in the wood and ask for food and
shelter.

He expected to find a woodcutter's cottage, but what was his surprise,
as he drew near to the light, to find that it came from the windows of
a large and beautiful palace!

He knocked at the gates, but no one answered, and presently, driven by
hunger and cold, he made bold to enter, and mounted the marble steps
into the great hall.

All the way he never saw a soul. There was a big fire in the hall, and
when he had warmed himself, he set out to look for the master of the
house. But he did not look far, for behind the first door he opened
was a cosy little room with supper set for one, a supper the mere look
of which made you hungry.

So the merchant sat down as bold as you please, and made a very hearty
supper, after which he again thought he would look for the master of
the house.

He started off and opened another door, but there he saw a bed, merely
to look at which made you sleepy, so he said to himself:

"This is some fairies' work. I had better not look any farther for the
master of the house."

And with that he tumbled into bed, and, being very tired, he went to
sleep at once, and slept like a top till it was time to get up in the
morning.

When he awoke he was quite surprised to find himself in such a soft
and comfortable bed, but presently he remembered all that had happened
to him.

"I must be going," he said to himself, "but I wish I could th