Once upon a time, a magnificent ruler had a daughter of unmatched beauty. She had reached the age of marriage, yet she found no one to her liking — not the sons of kings, nor the sons of viziers, nor the sons of wealthy merchants. She turned up her nose at everyone. In that same land there was a handsome but poor young man who also asked for her hand. Of course, he was refused. So the young man went away to another country, worked hard, and grew very rich.

Years later he returned to his homeland, and he wished to see the girl who had once rejected him. He asked around, learned where she lived, went and stood before her house, and waited. Presently the door opened and out came an exceedingly ugly man. After the man had gone, the young man knocked, and the girl opened the door.

He wanted to know why she had married such an ugly man. To explain, the girl led him to a magnificent rose garden behind the house.

“You shall have the answer to your question,” she said. “Now, find the most beautiful rose in this garden and bring it to me — on one condition: as you walk through the garden, you may never step backward.”

“Very well,” said the young man, and he began to walk. Just as he thought he had found the most beautiful rose, he would glimpse another lovelier one. As he reached for that one, yet another lovely rose appeared; as he was about to pluck it, still another. Before he knew it, he had reached the end of the garden — and stepping back was forbidden. There at the garden’s end stood a single, plain rose, its head bowed.

“There,” said the girl. “Now do you understand why I chose this man?”