A merchant, who had three daughters, was once setting out upon ajourney; but before he went he asked each daughter what gift he shouldbring back for her. The eldest wished for pearls; the second forjewels; but the third, who was called Lily, said, «Dear father, bringme a rose.» Now it was no easy task to find a rose, for it was themiddle of winter; yet as she was his prettiest daughter, and was veryfond of flowers, her father said he would try what he could do. So hekissed all three, and bid them goodbye.
And when the time came for him to go home, he had bought pearls andjewels for the two eldest, but he had sought everywhere in vain for therose; and when he went into any garden and asked for such a thing,the people laughed at him, and asked him whether he thought roses grewin snow. This grieved him very much, for Lily was his dearestchild; and as he was journeying home, thinking what he should bringher, he came to a fine castle; and around the castle was a garden, inone half of which it seemed to be summer-time and in the other halfwinter. On one side the finest flowers were in full bloom, and on theother everything looked dreary and buried in the snow. «A lucky hit!’said he, as he called to his servant, and told him to go to a beautifulbed of roses that was there, and bring him away one of the finestflowers.
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