When he woke in the morning, the merchant discovered that a fresh outfit had been laid out at the foot of the bed. He treated himself to a breakfast of freshly picked fruit before he decided to leave and find his way home. Before leaving he looked once more around the castle, but when he could not find anyone to thank for the kind hospitality, the merchant gathered his horse and began to prepare for his journey.
Just before he reached the gate, the merchant’s eyes fell upon a rose bush. Remembering Beauty’s request for a rose, the merchant reached out to pick one of the vibrant red flowers. Immediately a tall and frightening figure rose out of the shadows.
Suddenly, an angry beast appeared from behind the bushes and bellowed, “How dare you repay my kindness in this way? I have let you come into my home, I have fed you, I have let you sleep by my warm fires, and yet you choose to steal from my garden in return?”
He treated himself to a breakfast of freshly picked fruit before he decided to leave and find his way home. Before leaving he looked once more around the castle, but when he could not find anyone to thank for the kind hospitality, the merchant gathered his horse and began to prepare for his journey.