After a time Benjamin said : ` Dear sister , there is still a little difficulty , for we had all agreed that any girl we met should die at our hands , because it was for the sake of a girl that we had to leave our kingdom . ' ` But , ' she replied , ' I will gladly die if by that means I can restore my twelve brothers to their own . ' ` No , ' he answered , ` there is no need for that ; only go and hide under that tub till our eleven brothers come in , and I 'll soon make matters right with them . ' She did as she was bid , and soon the others came home from the chase and sat down to supper . ` Well , Benjamin , what 's the news ? ' they asked . But he replied , ' I like that ; have you nothing to tell me ? ' ` No , ' they answered . Then he said : ` Well , now , you 've been out in the wood all the day and I 've stayed quietly at home , and all the same I know more than you do . ' ` Then tell us , ' they cried . But he answered : ` Only on condition that you promise faithfully that the first girl we meet shall not be killed . ' ` She shall be spared , ' they promised , ` only tell us the news . ' Then Benjamin said : ` Our sister is here ! ' and he lifted up the tub and the Princess stepped forward , with her royal robes and with the golden star on her forehead , looking so lovely and sweet and charming that they all fell in love with her on the spot . They arranged that she should stay at home with Benjamin and help him in the house work , while the rest of the brothers went out into the wood and shot hares and roe-deer , birds and wood-pigeons . And Benjamin and his sister cooked their meals for them . She gathered herbs to cook the vegetables in , fetched the wood , and watched the pots on the fire , and always when her eleven brothers returned she had their supper ready for them . Besides this , she kept the house in order , tidied all the rooms , and made herself so generally useful that her brothers were delighted , and they all lived happily together . One day the two at home prepared a fine feast , and when they were all assembled they sat down and ate and drank and made merry . Now there was a little garden round the enchanted house , in which grew twelve tall lilies .
The girl , wishing XXXXX please her brothers , plucked the twelve flowers , meaning to present one to each of them as they sat at supper .
After Besides at because from on than till to with