When she had done, she
used to amuse herself with reading, playing on 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 our low way of life!" But their father thought in
quite another way: he admired the patience of this sweet young creature;
for her sisters not only left her to do the whole work of the house, but
made game of her every moment.

After they had lived in this manner about a year, the merchant received
a letter, which informed him that one of the 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 every thing her sisters
wished for. "Beauty," said the merchant, "how comes it about 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 any thing else, but she only said this,
that she might not affront her sisters, for else they would have said
she wanted her father to praise her for not asking him for any thing.
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 gone away. When he was within thirty miles of his home, and thinking
of the joy he should have in again meeting his children, his road lay
through a thick forest, and he quite lost himself. 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 thought to be sure he shou