Pagina 324 van 1116

I sold it for half a diner, with part of which I bought provision

and laid by the rest. In such work I spent a whole year and when

this was ended I went out one day, as was my wont, into the

wilderness; and, wandering away from my companions, I chanced on

a thickly grown lowland[FN#205] in which there was an abundance

of wood. So I entered and I found the gnarled stump of a great

tree and loosened the ground about it and shovelled away the

earth. Presently my hatchet rang upon a copper ring; so I cleared

away the soil and behold, the ring was attached to a wooden trap

door. This I raised and there appeared beneath it a staircase. I

descended the steps to the bottom and came to a door, which I

opened and found myself in a noble hall strong of structure and

beautifully built, where was a damsel like a pearl of great

price, whose favour banished from my heart all grief and cark and

care; and whose soft speech healed the soul in despair and

captivated the wise and ware.