"Bui we should not forget our promise to our father!" cried the youngest daughter.
However, in spite of all she could say, the elder sisters opened the door and admitted the beggar. They led him into the kitchen to dry his clothes. Then they made ready a bed for him to sleep upon. They gave him his supper in the kitchen and then they ate their own.
"It is a fearful night to send away a beggar," said the eldest sister while they were eating.
"I am glad we have made him comfortable for the night," remarked the middle sister.
"I am thinking that our dear father would be anxious if he knew that we had broken our promise so easily," said the youngest sister.
"For shame!" cried the eldest.
"I don't think it was breaking our promise to show kindness to a poor old beggar," said the middle one.
"A promise is a promise, nevertheless," said the youngest.
While they were talking, the beggar had taken the apples which the girls were to eat for dessert and had sprinkled a sleeping powder over them. The two eldest ate their apples, but the youngest could not eat that night. She threw the apple away.
As soon as they had eaten, the girls went to their room, and the two eldest were overcome with sleep almost before they had time to get into bed. The youngest one was so frightened that she could not sleep a single wink.