Shall it be wisdom , strength , long life , riches , health , or beauty ? Think well , and tell me what you will have . ' But Fortunatus , who had proved the truth of the proverb that ` It 's ill thinking on an empty stomach , ' answered quickly , ` Good lady , let me have riches in such plenty that I may never again be as hungry as I am now . ' And the lady held out a purse and told him he had only to put his hand into it , and he and his children would always find ten pieces of gold . But when they were dead it would be a magic purse no longer . -LSB- Illustration : THE GIFT-OF-FORTUNE -RSB- At this news Fortunatus was beside himself with joy , and could hardly find words to thank the lady . But she told him that the best thing he could do was to find his way out of the wood , and before bidding him farewell pointed out which path he should take . He walked along it as fast as his weakness would let him , until a welcome light at a little distance showed him that a house was near . It turned out to be an inn , but before entering Fortunatus thought he had better make sure of the truth of what the lady had told him , and took out the purse and looked inside . Sure enough there were the ten pieces of gold , shining brightly . Then Fortunatus walked boldly up to the inn , and ordered them to get ready a good supper at once , as he was very hungry , and to bring him the best wine in the house . And he seemed to care so little what he spent that everybody thought he was a great lord , and vied with each other who should run quickest when he called . After a night passed in a soft bed , Fortunatus felt so much better that he asked the landlord if he could find him some men-servants , and tell him where any good horses were to be got . 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 XXXXX length the old man 's castle .
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