Osman made a low bow and thanked her for her kindness in telling the story. He was about to leave the room when another of the visitors reached out her hand and softly patted his shoulder.
"Sit down beside me, my child. I have a story to tell the company. Stay and hear it, if your dear mother is willing."
"May I, mamma?" he asked.
"Certainly, Osman, if you are good and quiet."
The little boy at once settled himself beside the lady who had asked him to stay. This is the story he heard.
THE WOOD-CUTTER AND FORTUNE
Once upon a time there was a wood-cutter who lived in the forest with his wife and two children. He was very poor. Day after day, and year after year, he went out into the midst of the wood and worked hard chopping down the trees and cutting them up for fire-wood.
After he had cut all the logs he could fasten upon the backs of his two mules, he went with them to the nearest town and sold his wood.
As each year came to an end, the poor wood-cutter was no richer than he was at the beginning. When twenty such years had passed by, he began to feel quite hopeless.