Stranica 107 [107]
DESTINY
"And who are you?" said he.
“TY am your brothers fortune?” she replied.
"And where is my fortune?" he exclaimed, seized with
anger and envy.
"Ah! she 1s far from you, said the young girl.
"Can I find her?" asked he.
" You can,” she replied, “if you only look yonder.”’
On hearing these words, and seeing that the sheep were
the finest that could be imagined, he had no wish to see the
other flocks, but went straight to his brother, who, as soon
as he saw him, burst into tears, moved with pity.
" Where have you been so long?" asked he. And, seeing
him clothed in rags and barefooted, he gave him a pair of
shoes and some money.
After staying three days in his brother’s house, the poor
man set out for home. No sooner had he reached his
house than he threw a bag across his shoulder, with a piece
of bread in it, took a staff in his hand, and set out to seek
his fortune.
After walking for some time he found himself in a great
forest, where he saw a wretched old hag asleep under
atree. He gave her a blow on the back with his staff
to awaken her. She moved with difficulty, and, half
opening her bleared eyes, said to him, “Thank God that
I was asleep, for if I had been awake you would not have
had those shoes."
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