The woodcutter's family grew gradually accustomed to
these successions; and as habit reconciles people to all things, each
colour became indifferent to them.
Thomas was too old to change his mode of life; he would not hear of
going to live in town, although they had money sufficient for that
purpose; he also still continued the making of wooden shoes. Those
which Rose wore in winter were trimmed with lamb's-wool, which she
wrought very dexterously; she was clever and ingenious but, it must be
confessed, a little imperious; and was sometimes surprised sighing
like a person indulging in visionary wishes, and languishing under
some secret chagrin.
A year passed: Rose grew tall, and her brothers, weary of waiting for
an event so uncertain as her marriage with a king, executed a crime
which they had long meditated. Seeing that their father had touched
but one of the purses, they easily obtained possession of the rest,
and rising with the dawn, all three departed, saying, to satisfy their
consciences, that these purses must be finally theirs, and that they
would, meanwhile, turn them to advantage. When they should become very
rich, they would come back to their parents and take care of their
latter days. Each of them made a belt, in which he concealed his gold;
and with perfect concord, more frequently found amongst knaves than
honest men, they travelled a hundred leagues in eight days.
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