Surely I must have been blind last night ! ' And he ordered long ladders to be brought and the maiden to be rescued . Then he fell on his knees before her , and prayed her to forgive him , and a great feast was made in her honour . Some days after came the ninety-year-old sister to the palace and asked for the queen . ` Who is that hideous old witch ? ' said the king . ` Oh , an old neighbour of mine , who is half silly , ' she replied . But the old woman looked at her steadily , and knew her again , and said : ` How have you managed to grow so young and beautiful ? I should like to be young and beautiful too . ' This question she repeated the whole day long , till at length the queen lost patience and said : ' I had my old head cut off , and this new head grew in its place . ' Then the old woman went to a barber , and spoke to him , saying , ' I will give you all you ask if you will only cut off my head , so that I may become young and lovely . ' ` But , my good woman , if I do that you will die ! ' But the old woman would listen to nothing ; and at last the barber took out his knife and struck the first blow at her neck . ` Ah ! ' she shrieked as she felt the pain . ` Il faut souffrir pour etre belle , ' said the barber , who had been in France . And at the second blow her head rolled off , and the old woman was dead for good and all . Catherine and Her Destiny Sicilianische Mahrchen von Laura Gonzenbach . Leipzig , Engelmann , 1870 . Long ago there lived a rich merchant who , besides possessing more treasures than any king in the world , had in his great hall three chairs , one of silver , one of gold , and one of diamonds .
But his greatest treasure of all was his only daughter , who was called XXXXX .
Catherine Engelmann France Gonzenbach days first ladders night second souffrir