time ago. Had he been wise he would have stopped then. He would have
turned over his business to some one else, and then he could have spent
the rest of his life in ease. But what did he do instead? He built ships
and sent them to sea to trade with foreign lands. He thought he would
get mountains of gold.

"But there were great storms on the water; his ships were wrecked, and
his riches were swallowed up by the waves. Now all his hopes lie at the
bottom of the sea, and his great wealth has vanished.

"There are many such cases. Men seem to be never satisfied unless they
gain the whole world.

"As for me, if I had only enough to eat and to wear, I would not want
anything more."

Just at that moment Fortune came down the street. She saw the beggar and
stopped. She said to him:

"Listen! I have long wished to help you. Hold your wallet and I will
pour this gold into it, but only on this condition: all that falls into
the wallet shall be pure gold; but every piece that falls upon the
ground shall become dust. Do you understand?"

"Oh, yes, I understand," said the beggar.

"Then have a care," said Fortune. "Your wallet is old, so do not load it
too heavily."

The beggar was so glad that he could hardly wait. He quickly opened his