Tales of Passed Times

Angebote / Angebote:

Excerpt: ...a chicken, he ate it up in two mouthfuls, trembling the while. Then he took a draught or two of wine, and, his courage returning, he left the dining-hall and made his way through several large rooms magnificently furnished. Finally he came to a room where there was a comfortable bed, and as it was now 114 past midnight, and he was very tired, he made up his mind to shut the door and lie down. It was ten o'clock next morning before he awoke, when, to his great surprise, he found new clothes put in place of his own, which had been completely spoiled. "This palace must certainly belong to some good fairy, " he said to himself, "who, seeing my condition, has taken pity upon me." He looked out of the window, the snow was gone, and he saw instead, bowers of delicious flowers which were a delight to the eye. He went again into the dining-hall where he had supped the night before, and saw a little table with chocolate upon it. "I thank you, good madam fairy, " he said aloud, "for your kindness in thinking of my breakfast." The merchant, having drunk his chocolate, went out to find his horse, as he passed under a bower of roses, he remembered that Beauty had asked him to bring her one, and he plucked a branch on which several were growing. He had scarcely done so, when he heard a loud roar, and saw coming towards him a Beast, of such a horrible aspect, that he nearly fainted. "You are very ungrateful, " said the Beast in a terrible voice, "I received you into my castle, and saved your life, and now you steal my roses, which I care for more than anything else in the world. Death alone can make amends for what you have done, I give you a quarter of an hour, no more, in which to ask forgiveness of God." The merchant threw himself on his knees, and with clasped hands, said to the Beast, "I pray you, my lord, to forgive me. I did not think to 115 offend you by picking a rose for one of my daughters, who asked me to take it her." "I am not called my lord, " responded...