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 at length the old man's castle. His
wife and children had almost given up hopes of seeing him again,
and crowded eagerly round him. Indeed, it did not take Fortunatus
five minutes to fall in love with the youngest daughter, the most
beautiful creature in the whole world, whose name was Cassandra.

‘Give her to me for my wife,' he said to the old man, ‘and let us
all go together to Famagosta.'

So a ship was bought big enough to hold Fortunatus, the old man
and his wife, and their ten children-- five of them sons and five
daughters. And the day before they sailed the wedding was
celebrated with magnificent rejoicings, and everybody thought
that Fortunatus must certainly be a prince in disguise. But when
they reached Cyprus, he learned to his sorrow that both his