Below her lay a pit of fire, and in it was her sister, and before she could step back or move, a flame leaped up and burned the flowers on her bosom to a crisp.
The girl was frightened to death, for now she knew the man she had married was the Evil One himself.
She managed to shut the door at last, and the first thing she did was to throw the flowers away. Then she went out in the garden to gather a fresh bunch. She hunted everywhere, but no place could she find any in the least like those that had been burned.
While she was still hunting her husband came home; she was afraid to have him find her in the garden, and so she went out to meet him.
The first thing he asked her was, “Where are the flowers I gave you to wear?”
“They fell from my bosom while I was out walking, and I have not been able to find them.”
“That is not true,” cried the Evil One in a terrible voice. “You have opened the Red door and the flowers are burned.”
“No,” cried the girl half fainting with terror. But with no more words the Evil One caught hold of her and threw her down into the pit with her sister.
He locked the door upon them and mounted his coal-black charger and rode back to the merchant’s house.
As soon as the merchant saw him from the window he came out to meet him. “Has any misfortune happened to my dear daughter?” he cried.