" 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 living soul was to be seen. There were
stables too, which his poor, starved horse, less scrupulous than
himself, entered at once, and took a good meal of oats and hay.
Pages:
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74