for wives; but the two eldest
always answered that, for their parts, they had no thoughts of
marrying any one below a duke or an earl at least. Beauty had quite as
many offers as her sisters, but she always answered, with the greatest
civility, that though she was much obliged to her lovers, she would
rather live some years longer with her father, as she thought herself
too young to marry.

It happened that, by some unlucky accident, the merchant suddenly
lost all his fortune, and had nothing left but a small cottage in the
country. Upon this he said to his daughters, while the tears ran down
his cheeks, "My children, we must now go and dwell in the cottage, and
try to get a living by labor, for we have no other means of support."
The two eldest replied that they did not know how to work, and would
not leave town; for they had lovers enough who would be glad to marry
them, though they had no longer any fortune. But in this they were
mistaken; for when the lovers heard what had happened, they said, "The
girls were so proud and ill-tempered that all we wanted was their
fortune; we are not sorry at all to see their pride brought down; let
them show off their airs to their cows and sheep." But everybody
pitied poor Beauty, because she was so sweet-tempered and kind to all,
and several gentlemen offered to marry her, though she had not a
penny; but Beauty still refused, and said she could not think of
leaving her poor father in his trouble. At first Beauty could not help
sometimes crying in secret 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