The fairy appeared, and said: "Four of the gifts remain.

Choose once more; and oh, remember--time is flying, and only one of them is precious." The man considered long, then chose Love; and did not mark the tears that rose in the fairy's eyes.
After many, many years the man sat by a coffin, in an empty home.

And he communed with himself, saying: "One by one they have gone away and left me; and now she lies here, the dearest and the last.

Desolation after desolation has swept over me; for each hour of happiness the treacherous trader, Love, as sold me I have paid a thousand hours of grief.

Out of my heart of hearts I curse him.".