Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 2.djvu/34
down Fire-Wood, which you may bring to the Market to be ſold; and I can aſſure you, it will turn to ſo good an Account, that you may live by it, without Dependance upon any Man: And by this Means, you will be in a Condition to wait for the favourable Minute, when Heaven ſhall think fit to diſpel thoſe Clouds of Misfortune that thwart your Happineſs, and oblige you to conceal your Birth; I will take care to ſupply you with a Rope and a Hatchet.
The Fear of being known, and the Neceſſity I was under of getting a Livelihood, made me agree to this Propoſal, notwithſtanding all the Meanneſs and Hardſhips that attend it. The Day following the Taylor brought me a Rope, a Hatchet and a ſhort Coat, and recommended me to ſome poor People that gain’d their Bread after the ſame Manner, that they might take me into their Company, They conducted me to the Wood, and the firſt Day I brought in as much upon my Head as brought me half a Piece of Gold, which is the Money of that Country: For tho’ the Wood is not far diſtant from the Town, yet it was very ſcarce there, by reaſon that few or none would be at the Trouble to go and cut it. I gain’d a good Sum of Money in ſhort Time, and repaid my Taylor what he advanced for me.
I continu’d this Way of Living for a whole Year and one Day; that by chance I was gone farther into the Wood than uſual, I happen’d to light on a very pleaſant Place, where I began to cut down Wood; and in pulling up the Root of a Tree, I eſpied an Iron Ring, faſten’d to a Trap-Door of the ſame Metal: I took away the Earth that cover’d it; and having lift it up, ſaw Stairs, which I went down with my Ax in my Hand.
When I was come to the Bottom of the Stairs, I found my ſelf in a large Palace, which put me in a mighty Conſternation, becauſe of the great Light, which appear’d as clear in it, as if it had been above Ground in the open Air. I went forward along a Gallery, ſupported by Pillars of Jaſpis, the Baſis and Chapter of maſſey Gold: But ſeeing a Lady of a noble and free Air, and extraordinary beautiful, coming towards me; this turn’d my Eyes from beholding any other Object but her alone.