The next thing was to provide himself with smart clothes , and then to take a big house where he could give great feasts to the nobles and beautiful ladies who lived in palaces round about . In this manner a whole year soon slipped away , and Fortunatus was so busy amusing himself that he never once remembered his parents whom he had left behind in Cyprus . But though he was thoughtless , he was not bad-hearted . As soon as their existence crossed his mind , he set about making preparations to visit them , and as he was not fond of being alone he looked round for some one older and wiser than himself to travel with him . It was not long before he had the good luck to come across an old man who had left his wife and children in a far country many years before , when he went out into the world to seek the fortune which he never found . He agreed to accompany Fortunatus back to Cyprus , but only on condition he should first be allowed to return for a few weeks to his own home before venturing to set sail for an island so strange and distant . Fortunatus agreed to his proposal , and as he was always fond of anything new , said that he would go with him . The journey was long , and they had to cross many large rivers , and climb over high mountains , and find their way through thick woods , before they reached at length the old man 's castle . His wife and children had almost given up hopes of seeing him again , and crowded eagerly round him . Indeed , it did not take Fortunatus five minutes to fall in love with the youngest daughter , the most beautiful creature in the whole world , whose name was Cassandra . ` Give her to me for my wife , ' he said to the old man , ` and let us all go together to Famagosta . ' So a ship was bought big enough to hold Fortunatus , the old man and his wife , and their ten children -- five of them sons and five daughters . And the day before they sailed the wedding was celebrated with magnificent rejoicings , and everybody thought that Fortunatus must certainly be a prince in disguise . But when they reached Cyprus , he learned to his sorrow that both his father and mother were dead , and for some time he shut himself up in his house and would see nobody , full of shame at having forgotten them all these years . Then he begged that the old man and his wife would remain with him , and take the place of his parents . For twelve years Fortunatus and Cassandra and their two little boys lived happily in Famagosta . They had a beautiful house and everything they could possibly want , and when Cassandra 's sisters married the purse provided them each with a fortune . But at last Fortunatus grew tired of staying at home , and thought he should like to go out and see the world again . Cassandra shed many tears at first when he told her of his wishes , and he had a great deal of trouble to persuade her to give her consent . But on his promising to return at the end of two years she agreed to let him go .
Before he went away he showed her three chests of gold , which stood XXXXX a room with an iron door , and walls twelve feet thick .
So as before for in on over though to with