But , just as he had waved the axe over his head ready to strike , a voice was heard from the stone coffin saying , in sepulchral tones : ` Clear out of this , or the dead will arise from their coffins , and the statues will descend from the walls , and you will be driven out more dead than alive . ' And with a bound the thief jumped out of his coffin and the liar from his niche , and the robbers were so terrified that they ran helter-skelter out of the crypt , leaving all their gold behind them , and vowing that they would never put foot inside the haunted place again . So the partners divided the gold between them , and carried it to their homes ; and history tells us no more about them . FORTUNATUS AND HIS PURSE Once upon a time there lived in the city of Famagosta , in the island of Cyprus , a rich man called Theodorus . He ought to have been the happiest person in the whole world , as he had all he could wish for , and a wife and little son whom he loved dearly ; but unluckily , after a short time he always grew tired of everything , and had to seek new pleasures . When people are made like this the end is generally the same , and before Fortunatus -LRB- for that was the boy 's name -RRB- was ten years old , his father had spent all his money and had not a farthing left . But though Theodorus had been so foolish he was not quite without sense , and set about getting work at once . His wife , too , instead of reproaching him sent away the servants and sold their fine horses , and did all the work of the house herself , even washing the clothes of her husband and child . Thus time passed till Fortunatus was sixteen . One day when they were sitting at supper , the boy said to Theodorus , ` Father , why do you look so sad ? Tell me what is wrong , and perhaps I can help you . ' ` Ah , my son , I have reason enough to be sad ; but for me you would now have been enjoying every kind of pleasure , instead of being buried in this tiny house . ' ` Oh , do not let that trouble you , ' replied Fortunatus , ` it is time I made some money for myself . To be sure I have never been taught any trade . Still there must be something I can do . I will go and walk on the seashore and think about it . ' Very soon -- sooner than he expected -- a chance came , and Fortunatus , like a wise boy , seized on it at once . The post offered him was that of page to the Earl of Flanders , and as the Earl 's daughter was just going to be married , splendid festivities were held in her honour , and at some of the tilting matches Fortunatus was lucky enough to win the prize . These prizes , together with presents from the lords and ladies of the court , who liked him for his pleasant ways , made Fortunatus feel quite a rich man . But though his head was not turned by the notice taken of him , it excited the envy of some of the other pages about the Court , and one of them , called Robert , invented a plot to move Fortunatus out of his way .
So he told the young man that the Earl had taken a dislike XXXXX him and meant to kill him ; Fortunatus believed the story , and packing up his fine clothes and money , slipped away before dawn .
at like over than that though till to upon with