78 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS.

1 thanked the tailor for the advice he had given me, and tolu
him I should never forget the favour I received from him. He
brought me something to eat, and offered me even an apartment
at his house, which I accepted.

Some days after my arrival, the tailor, remarking that 1 was
tolerably recovered from the effects of my long and painful
journey, and being aware that most of the princes of our religion
had the precaution, in order to guard against any reverse of
fortune, to make themselves acquainted with some art or trade,
to assist them in case of want, asked me if I knew anything by
which I could acquire a livelihood, without being chargeable to
anybody. I told him that I was well versed in the science of
laws, both human and divine,—that I was a grammarian, a poet,
—and, above all, that I wrote remarkably well. “ With all this,”
he replied, “you will not in this country procure a morsel of
bread ; nothing is more useless here than this kind of know-
ledge. If you wish to follow my advice,” he added, “you will
procure a short jacket ; and as you are strong, and of a good
constitution, you may go into the neighbouring forest, and
cut wood for fuel. You may then go and expose it for sale in

“the market; and I assure you that you may acquire a small
income, but sufficient to enable you to live independently of
every one.”

The fear of being known, and the necessity of supporting my-
self, determined me to pursue this plan, in spite of the degrada-
tion and pain which were attached to it.

The next day, the tailor brought mea hatchet and a cord, and
also a short jacket, and recommending me to some poor people
who obtained their livelihood in the same manner, he requested
them to take me with them. They conducted me to the forest,
and from this time I regularly brought back upon my head a
large bundle of wood, which I sold for a small piece of gold
money, current in that country. I soon acquired a considerable
sum, and was enabled to repay the tailor what he had expended
on my account.

I had passed more than a year in this mode of life, when
having one day gone deeper into the forest than usual, I came
to a very pleasant spot, where I began to cut my wood. In
cutting up the root of a tree, I discovered an iron ring fastened
to a trap-door of the same material I immediately cleared