All the TRAIL of ASHES that was suppose to be the lead to the way back HAD BEEN BLOWN AWAY BY THE WIND, but the PEAS and BEANS, being HEAVIER, REMAINED TO SHOW THEM THEIR WAY IN THE MOONLIGHT.
They walked the whole night and reached her father's place the next afternoon. There the GIRL TOLD
HER FATHER EVERYTHING. Then her FATHER HASTENED to the VILLAGE to INVITE all his FRIENDS to a FEAST, while his DAUGHTER and the BLIND WOMAN SET OUT TABLES
and COOKED EVERY BIT OF FOOD IN THE HOUSE.
When the ROBBER and HIS MEN RODE UP to CLAIM the GIRL, her FATHER WELCOMED THEM with a GREAT SHOW of FRIENDSHIP. "My daughter will go away with you this very day,"
he said, "But first share a meal with us in HONOR OF MY DAUGHTER'S WEDDING."
The ROBBERS, who had awakened to find their housekeeper gone, and had been forced to prepare their own breakfast, were too GLAD TO SIT DOWN AND ENJOY THEMSELVES.
DURING the MEAL, the father asked EACH PERSON to TELL a STORY to entertain the other guests. When it came his daughter's turn, she was silent. But HER BRIDEGROOM said, "COME, my
SWEET, YOU MUST TELL A STORY, too. I won't have people thinking MY BRIDE IS a DULL
WIT."
"Very well," the girl said, "I will tell you A DREAM I HAVE HAD. In it I was WALKING ALONE
in a GLOOMY WOOD, and I CAME TO a solitary HOUSE, where NOT a SOUL was to be SEEN.
A CAGE was hanging in the window of one of the rooms. In it was a BIRD which cried:"Turn back,
young woman! Run away! You've come to a robber's house this day." "The bird repeated the same words twice."
"I DON'T think I CARE for this STORY much," GRUMBLED the BRIDEGROOM.
"THIS WAS ONLY a DREAM, my love!" protested the girl. Then she continue, "I HEARD someone
SINGING a SWEET SONG, so I walked through the rooms, but they were empty. At last I went down to the cellar, where I FOUND a BLIND WOMAN SINGING TO HERSELF. When I TOLD her I COME to MARRY the MASTER OF THE HOUSE, she cried, 'Alas, you poor child! You are
in the DEN OF A THIEF and MURDERER!'
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