Читать книгу Third Reader: The Alexandra Readers - John Dearness - Страница 4
Оглавление“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 wallet, and a stream of yellow dollars was poured into it. The wallet soon began to grow heavy.
“Is that enough?” asked Fortune.
“Not yet.”
“Isn’t it cracking?”
“Never fear.”
The beggar’s hands began to tremble. Ah, if the golden stream would only pour forever!
“You are the richest man in the world now!”
“Just a little more,” said the beggar; “add just a handful or two.”
“There, it’s full. The wallet will burst.”
“But it will hold a little more, just a little more!”
Another piece was added and the wallet split. The treasure fell upon the ground and was turned to dust. Fortune had vanished.
The beggar had now nothing but his empty wallet, and it was torn from top to bottom. He was as poor as before.
—From the Russian of Ivan Kriloff.
