The Journey and the Palace
In this rural state the merchant lived some time, when one day he was agreeably surprised by the news that one of his vessels (which he supposed was lost) had safely arrived. Elated with joy, the two elder daughters clung to their father, when they learnt he was about to go and take possession of his property, and intreated him to bring them some trinkets and other useless baubles. Beauty felt an inward pleasure, on her father's prospects of being reinstated in affluence, yet concealed her ecstacy. "You ask me not for anything, Beauty," said her father; "my child, what present shall I bring you?" She meekly replied, "I should like you, father, to bring me a rose, for we have none in our garden."
The merchant then departed; but on arriving at the port, some dishonest persons went to law with him about the merchandise; so, after a great deal of trouble, he was returning to his cottage as poor as he had left it. When he was within thirty miles of his house, thinking of the happiness he should enjoy in again embracing his children, he had the misfortune to lose himself in a thick forest, through which his road lay. It rained and snowed terribly, and the wind was so high as twice to throw him off his horse. Night being come, he fully imagined he should die of cold or hunger, or be torn in pieces by the wolves, which howled in every direction around him. The merchant, accidentally looking down a long avenue, discovered a glimmering light, at a distance, to which he hastened. He soon arrived at the gates of a palace, which he opened, and was greatly surprised to find no one in any of the outer yards. The merchant then tied up his horse, and walked towards the house, which he entered, and, to his great astonishment, saw not a living creature: he pursued his way to a large hall, in which was a good fire, and a table plentifully supplied with food.
As the snow and rain had wetted him to the skin, he approached the fire to dry himself. "I hope," said he, "the master of the house or his servants will excuse the liberty I take, for it surely will not be long before they make their appearance." He waited a considerable time, and still nobody came; at length the clock struck eleven; and the merchant, overcome with hunger and thirst, helped himself to a chicken, and then to a few glasses of wine; all the time trembling with fear. He sat till the clock struck twelve, and not a creature had he seen. He now took courage, and began to think of looking a little farther about him: accordingly, he opened an apartment magnificently furnished, which he found opened into another, in which there was an excellent bed; and, being quite worn out with fatigue, he undressed himself, and got into it.
It was ten o'clock the next morning before he thought of rising: when he was about to dress himself, he discovered a suit of new clothes in the room of those which had been drenched with the rain on the preceding evening. "No doubt," he ejaculated, "this palace is the residence of some good Fairy, who, perhaps, commisserates my hapless situation." He then returned to the hall, where he found a sumptuous banquet, consisting of almost every delicacy. After partaking of a hearty repast, he repaired to the stable in which he had placed his horse. As he passed by one of the arbours, which was bedecked with roses, he gathered a bunch of them for his daughter, Beauty; at this instant he saw a hideous beast approach him, who, with a horrible grin, exclaimed, "Ungrateful man! I sheltered you and preserved your life from the pitiless storm, and in return you ungratefully steal my roses, more valuable to me than the whole of these possessions — for this nefarious deed you shall immediately die."