Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 2.djvu/154

142 into which fate had thrown him, he cried out lustily, and his noise awoke a poor man called Guido, who had come with his ass into that forest to procure fire-wood, by the sale of which he got his bread. Hastening to the mouth of the pit, and ascertaining the occasion of the clamour, he was promised great wealth if he would extricate the seneschal from his perilous situation. "My friend," answered Guido, "I have no means of obtaining a livelihood except by the faggots which I collect: if I neglect this for a single day, I shall be thrown into the greatest difficulties." The seneschal re-iterated his promises of enriching him; and Guido went back to the city, and returned with a long cord, which he let down into the pit, and bade the seneschal bind it round his waist. But before he could apply it to the intended purpose, the lion leaped forward, and seizing upon the cord, was drawn up in his stead. Immediately, exhibiting great signs of pleasure, the beast ran off into the wood. The rope again descended, and the monkey having noticed the success of the lion, vaulted above