THE ROSE-TREE

There was once upon a time a good man who had two children: a girl by
a first wife, and a boy by the second. The girl was as white as milk,
and her lips were like cherries. Her hair was like golden silk, and it
hung to the ground. Her brother loved her dearly, but her wicked
stepmother hated her. "Child," said the stepmother one day, "go to the
grocer's shop and buy me a pound of candles." She gave her the money;
and the little girl went, bought the candles, and started on her
return. There was a stile to cross. She put down the candles whilst
she got over the stile. Up came a dog and ran off with the candles.

She went back to the grocer's, and she got a second bunch. She came to
the stile, set down the candles, and proceeded to climb over. Up came
the dog and ran off with the candles.

She went again to the grocer's, and she got a third bunch; and just
the same happened. Then she came to her stepmother crying, for she had
spent all the money and had lost three bunches of candles.

The stepmother was angry, but she pretended not to mind the loss. She
said to the child: "Come, lay your head on my lap that I may comb your
hair." So the little one laid her head in the woman's lap, who
proceeded to comb the yellow silken hair. And when she combed the hair
fell over her knees, and rolled right down to the ground.

Then the stepmother hated her more for the beauty of her hair; so she