once upon a time there was a peasant boy , who dreamed that he would get a princess , from far , far away , that she was as white as milk , and as red as blood , and so rich that her riches had no end . when he woke , it seemed to him as though she were still standing before him . she was so beautiful and winning that he could not go on living without her . so he sold all that he had , and went forth to look for her . he wandered far , and at last , in the winter - time , came into a land where the roads all ran in straight lines , and made no turns . after he had wandered straight ahead for full three months , he came to a city . and there a great block of ice lay before the church door , and in the middle of it was a corpse , and the whole congregation spat at it as the people passed by . this surprised the youth , and when the pastor came out of the church , he asked him what it meant . " he was a great evil - doer , " replied the pastor , " who has been executed because of his misdeeds , and has been exposed here in shame and derision . " " but what did he do ? " asked the youth .
she was so beautiful and winning that he could not go on living without her .
why did the peasant sell all he had and go forth to look for the princess ?
why did the peasant sell all he had and go forth to look for the princess ?