Stranica 109 [109]
DESTINY
voice cried, "Destiny, Destiny, such a number of souls
have come into the world this night; give them something
according to thy good pleasure.”
And behold! Destiny rose, and opened a golden chest
filled with shining guineas, which he scattered by handfuls
about the room, saying, "Such as I am to-day, such shalt
thou be all thy life!”
At daybreak the beautiful castle had vanished, and in
its place stood an ordinary house, in which, however, nothing
was wanting. When evening came Destiny sat down to
supper. His guest did the same, but no one spoke a word.
Supper over, they went to bed. At midnight a terrible
noise was heard, and a voice cried, " Destiny, Destiny, such
a number of souls have come into the world this night;
give them something according to thy good pleasure.”
And behold! Destiny rose, and opened a silver chest, but
this time there were no guineas in it, but only silver coin,
with a few small pieces of gold, which Destiny scattered
on the floor, saying, "Such as I am to-day, such shalt thou
be all thy life!"
At daybreak this house had also disappeared, and a
smaller one stood in its place. The same thing happened
every night, and every morning the house was smaller, until
finally there was nothing but a wretched hut. Destiny
now took a spade and began to dig the ground. His guest
did the same, and both worked all day. When night came,
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