grey fairy tale book

Chapter 12 Fortunatus and His Purse
Long ago, in the city of Famagusta on the island of Cyprus, there lived a rich man named Theodorus.He should have been the happiest person in the world, because he had everything he wanted, which was his beloved wife and son.Unfortunately, however, he soon tires of everything and has to start looking for new pleasures.Whenever people encounter similar situations, the outcome is usually similar.Fortunetts (that was the boy's name) was not ten years old when his father spent all his money and left nothing.

Theodorus, though stupid, was not quite ignorant, and immediately went out to find work.Theodorus' wife did not blame him for this, but dismissed the family servants, sold the horses, and took on all the housework, even washing the clothes of her husband and children herself.

In this way, time passed slowly until Fortunetts was 16 years old.One day, while the family was having dinner, the son said to Theodorus, "Father, how sad you look! Please tell me what has happened, and maybe I can help you!"

"Ah, my son, I have good reason to be sad. It seems to me that you should be enjoying all kinds of pleasures now, instead of being confined in this little house!"

"Oh, don't worry about that," replied Fortunatus, "it's time for me to earn my own living. I've never learned any trade, of course, but I'm sure I'll find something I can do." What to do. I'll go for a walk by the beach and think about it."

Soon—sooner than he expected—the opportunity came.Like bright kids, Fortunettes jumped at an opportunity right away.The position he got was that of squire to the Count of Flanders.At that time, when the earl's daughter was getting married, the earl held various grand celebrations for her.In several spear holding competitions, Fortunites was lucky to win.These prizes, together with presents from the nobles and ladies of the court who liked him, were enough to make him feel quite rich.

Although he did not get carried away by it, it aroused the envy of some of his other attendants, one of whom was Robert.He devises a scheme to crowd out Fortunatus.He told Fortunatus that the Count hated him and wanted to kill him.Believing it was true, Fortunettes took his valuable clothes and money and sneaked away before dawn.

He's been to a lot of big towns and is doing well.But because he was so generous—and less intelligent than most of his peers—he soon found himself penniless.Like his father, he was looking for work, and he had traveled halfway across Brittany, but no one seemed to want to hire him.So he wandered from place to place until he found himself in a dense forest.There are no roads and no lights here.He stayed here for two days, without eating or drinking, walking in this direction for a while, walking in that direction for a while, but he couldn't find a way out.On the first night he slept soundly, for he was too exhausted to be afraid of man or beast.When night fell for the second time, there was a howling in the distance, and he began to be afraid, and looked around for tall trees that wild animals could not climb.As soon as he sat comfortably on a branch of a tree, he saw a lion walking towards a clear spring.The spring gushed from a rock not far from the tree where he was.The lion squatted down and drank the water greedily.That was bad enough, but luckily lions don't climb trees, so as long as Fortunatus stayed there, he was safe.However, as soon as the lion left, another bear came.Fortunatus knew very well that the bear was a master at climbing trees.His heart began to beat faster, and not for nothing, because the bear turned around and saw Fortunatus as soon as he looked up!
At that time, young people all wore a sword around their waists, and Fortunetts just caught up with this fashion.He drew his sword, and when the bear was within a yard or two of him, thrust forward with a sharp thrust.The bear, mad with pain, tried to jump up, but the weight of his body broke the branch, and he fell hard to the ground.Fortunatus then jumped down from the tree (having looked around to see if there were any other beasts around), and stabbed it to death with his sword.He was about to light a fire and cook a sumptuous dinner with delicious bear meat, when he suddenly saw a blindfolded, beautiful woman leaning on a carriage standing beside her.

"I am the goddess of fate," she said, "and I will give you a gift! It may be wisdom, strength, longevity, wealth, health, or beauty. Think carefully, and then tell me what you want!"

However, Fortunatus, just in response to the proverb "a jejunum in the belly, a wild idea in the brain", immediately replied: "Goddess of Mercy, let me have a lot of wealth, and I will never be as I am now." It's starving like this!"

The goddess then handed him a purse and told him that he and the children would always get ten gold coins if he just put his hand in it.But once they die, the purse loses its magic.

Upon hearing these words, Fortunites couldn't restrain the joy in his heart, and didn't know what to say to thank the goddess of fate.However, the goddess of fate told him that the most important thing he should do at this time is to find a way out.When saying goodbye to him, the goddess of fate pointed out the way for him to go.Dragging his feeble body as far as he could along the road, he at last saw a pleasant light not far away, which indicated houses near by.It turned out to be a hotel.Before going in, Fortunites felt that it was better to confirm what the goddess of fate said.So he took out his purse and looked inside, and there were indeed ten gold coins shining!Then he ventured towards the hotel.As he was very hungry, he ordered a decent supper to be prepared at once, and at the same time ordered the best wine in the shop.He doesn't seem to care about spending money, which makes everyone think he is a rich man, and whenever he needs anything, they rush to listen to him.

After a night in the soft bed, Fortunettes felt much better.He first asked the shopkeeper to find him some servants, and asked where he could buy a fine horse.The second thing was to buy some beautiful clothes, and then bought a large villa in order to entertain the nobles and ladies living in the surrounding courts.

In this way, a year passed quickly, and Fortunetts was so busy enjoying himself that he forgot about his parents who lived in Cyprus.Although he is a careless person, his heart is not bad.As soon as he thought of his parents, he set out to go back and visit them.He didn't want to go alone, so he looked around for someone older and wiser than him to go with him.Soon, Fortunatus was lucky enough to meet an old man.The old man left his wife and children far away in the motherland many years ago to search for wealth all over the world, but found nothing.He agreed to accompany Fortunettes back to Cyprus, on the sole condition that he spend a few weeks at home before setting sail for the strange and distant island nation.Fortunatus agreed to his proposal, and since he always liked new things, he offered to go to his house with the old man.

The journey was very long, and they had to wade through rivers, climb mountains, and go through dense forests before arriving at the old man's castle.Almost thinking they would never see him again, the old man's wife and children surrounded him eagerly.In less than 5 minutes, Fortunettes fell in love with the youngest daughter of the old man, the most beautiful person in the world - Cassandra.

"Marry her to me!" he said to the old man. "Let us go to Famagusta together."

So Fortunatus bought a boat large enough to accommodate himself, his old couple, and his family's ten children—five sons and five daughters.Before setting sail, they married with great joy and joy, and everyone believed that Fortunatus was a prince.But when the group of them arrived in Cyprus, Fortunettes was sad to learn that his parents had passed away.During that time, he shut himself in the house and saw no one. He was very ashamed that he had forgotten all about his parents all these years.Then begged the old couple to stay and be his parents.

Fortunettes, Cassandra and their two sons lived happily in Famagusta for 12 years.They have a beautiful house and everything they want.When Cassandra's sisters got married, the purse brought another fortune to each of them.But Fortunettes eventually got tired of staying at home and decided he should get out and see the world.At first, Cassandra shed quite a few tears when he spoke his mind.In order to persuade her and obtain her consent, Fortunites had worked hard.Cassandra only agreed to his departure when he promised to return in two years.Before he left, he showed his wife three chests of gold hidden in a room with an iron door and walls twelve feet thick. "If something happens to me and I don't come back," he said, "you will keep one box for yourself and the rest for your two sons." Then, hugging his family one by one, he sailed to Alexandria.

The ship sailed with fair wind, and was in port a few days later.On landing, Fortunettes was told by the first native he met that if he wished to be treated warmly in the city, he must make a generous present for the Sultan. "It's easy!" said Fortunettes, and going to a gold shop, he bought a large gold cup for five thousand pounds.Satisfied with the gift, the Sultan ordered a thousand barrels of spices to be rewarded to him.Fortunetus loaded the spices on board and ordered the captain to sail back to Cyprus to deliver the spices to his wife Cassandra.Then, Fortunites met with the Sultan and asked the Sultan to allow him to travel throughout the country. The Sultan readily agreed, and he sent letters to the local lords where Fortunites planned to visit.

Fortunettes was ecstatic that he was free to roam the world again.Without delay for a day, he started the journey.He traveled from court to court, envied by his finery and costly gifts.At last, as tired of wandering as at home, he returned to Alexandria, where he found anchored in the harbor the ship which had brought him here from Cyprus.The first thing he did, of course, was to meet the Sultan, who was eager to hear about his adventures.

After Fortunettes told what he had seen and heard, the Sultan said, "Very well, you have seen many beautiful things, but I have something more beautiful to show you." The Sultan led him into the A room with many precious stones stacked against the walls.Fortunatus was dazzled, but the Sultan didn't stop, he walked to the end and opened a door.It seemed to Fortunettes that the cupboard was empty save for a little red hat that looked like a Turkish soldier's.

"Look at this!" said the Sultan.

"It's worth nothing!" replied Fortunatus. "I've seen far better than this hat so far."

"Oh!" said the Sultan, "you don't know what you're talking about! Whoever wears this hat, wherever he wants to go, will go there at once!"

"Who did this?" asked Fortunettes.

"I will not tell you that," replied the Sultan.

"Is it heavy to wear?" asked Fortunettes.

"Not at all, and quite light!" replied the Sultan. "Try it!"

Fortunettes picked up his hat and put it on his head, and without a second thought wished to get back to the boat that was about to leave for Famagostia.In the blink of an eye, he was standing on the bow of the ship, which was weighing anchor.Just as the Sultan was regretting his foolishness in letting Fortunites wear the hat, the ship was sailing at full speed in the direction of Cyprus.

When the ship reached its destination, Fortunatus found that his wife and children were in good health, but the two old men had died and were buried in the ground.The two sons were tall and strong, but they were not at all as fond of traveling as their father. Their main pleasures were hunting and jousting.On the whole, Fortunettes is content to stay at home.And if he ever gets bored, thanks to the hat, he can be away for a few hours without the family missing him.He never returned the hat to the Sultan.

He was growing old, and felt that there were not many days to live, so he called his two sons to him, showed them the purse and hat, and said to them, "Don't give up these two treasures, they are more valuable than I can keep." All the gold and land given to you is worth money. Don’t tell this secret to anyone, even your wife and friends! This purse has benefited me for 40 years, and no one knows where my wealth comes from!” After his death, his wife Cassandra buried him.For many years, the people of Famagostia mourned him.

(End of this chapter)