irls had to work hard, like peasants, and the sons,
for their part, cultivated the fields to earn their living. Roughly
clothed, and living in the simplest way, the girls regretted unceasingly
the luxuries and amusements of their former life; only the youngest
tried to be brave and cheerful. She had been as sad as anyone when
misfortune overtook her father, but, soon recovering her natural gaiety,
she set to work to make the best of things, to amuse her father and
brothers as well as she could, and to try to persuade her sisters to
join her in dancing and singing. But they would do nothing of the sort,
and, because she was not as doleful as themselves, they declared that
this miserable life was all she was fit for. But she was really far
prettier and cleverer than they were; indeed, she was so lovely that she
was always called Beauty. After two years, when they were all beginning
to get used to their new life, something happened to disturb their
tranquillity. Their father received the news that one of his ships,
which he had believed to be lost, had come safely into port with a rich
cargo. All the sons and daughters at once thought that their poverty
was at an end, and wanted to set out directly for the town; but their
father, who was more prudent, begged them to wait a little, and, though
it was harvest time, and he could ill be spared, determined to go
himself first, to make inquiries. Only the youngest daughter had any
doubt but that they would soon again be as rich as they were before, or
at least rich enough to live comfortably in some town where they would
find amusement and gay companions once more. So they all loaded their
father with commissions for jewels and dresses which it would have taken
a fortune to buy; only Beauty, feeling sure that it was of no use, did
not ask for anything. Her father, noticing her silence, said: "And what
shall I bring for you, Beauty?"

"The only thing I wish for is to see you come home safely," she
answered.

But this only vexed her sisters, who fancied she was blaming them for
having asked for such costly things. Her father, however, was pleased,
but as he thought that at her age she certainly ought to like pretty
presents, he told her to choose something.

"Well, dear father," she said, "as you insist upon it, I beg that you
will bring me a rose. I have not seen one since we came here, and I love
them so much."

So the merchant set out and reached the town as quickly as poss