the King’s Son i Be 191

The ‘tailor listened with attention to my words; but after I
had done speaking, instead of giving me. any consolation, he
augmented’ my sorrow. os

‘Take heed, said he, ‘how you discover to any person what
you have now declared to me; for the prince of this country is”
the greatest. enemy that the king your father has, and he will
certainly do you some mischief when he comes to hear of your
being in this city.’

-I made no doubt of the tailor’s sincerity, when he named
the. prince, and returned him thanks for his good advice: and
as he believed I could not but be hungry, he ordered something
to be brought for me to eat, and offered me at the same time a
lodging in his house, which I accepted. .Some days after, finding
me pretty well recovered from the fatigue I had. endured by a
‘long and tedious journey, and reflecting that most princes of our
religion applied themselves to some art or calling that might ~
be serviceable to “them upon occasion, he asked me if I had
learnt anything whereby I might get a livelihood, and not -be
burdensome to any one? I told him that I understood the laws,
both divine. and human; that J was a.grammarian’ and poet;
and, above all, that I understood’ writing perfectly.
_’ By all this” said he, ‘you will not be able, in this country, to
purchase yourself one morsel of bread; nothing is of less use here
than those sciences: but if you ‘will be advised by me,’ said he,
“dress. yourself in a labourer’s frock; and since you appear to be
strong and of a good constitution, you shall’ go into the next
forest and cut fire-wood, which you may bring to the market
to be sold; and I can. assure. you it will turn to such. good
account that you may live by it, without depéndence upon any.
man: and by this means you will be in a condition to wait for
the favourable moment when Heaven: shall think fit to. dispel
those clouds of misfortune that thwart your. happiness, and _ oblige