Fortunatus now looked around on all sides; and as he saw
no more wild beasts near, he thought this would be a good time to get
rid of the bear at once; so down he came, and killed him at a single
blow. Being almost starved for want of food, the poor youth stooped
down, and was going to suck the blood of the bear; but looking round
once more, to see if any wild beasts were coming, he on a sudden
beheld a beautiful lady standing by his side, with a bandage over her
eyes, leaning upon a wheel, and looking as if she were going to speak,
which she soon did, in these words: "Know, young man, that my name is
Fortune; I have the power to bestow wisdom, strength, riches, health,
beauty, and long life; one of these I am willing to grant you--choose
for yourself which it shall be."
Fortunatus was not a moment before he answered: "Good lady, I wish to
have riches in such plenty that I may never again know what it is to
be so hungry as I now find myself." The lady then gave him a purse,
and told him that in all the countries where he might happen to be, he
need only put his hand into the purse as often as he pleased, and he
would be sure to find in it ten pieces of gold; that the purse should
never fail of yielding the same sum as long as it was kept by him and
his children; but that when he and his children should be dead, then
the purse would lose its power.
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