So, filled with good re5olve5, the young man went the next day tohi5 creditor5 and paid hi5 debt5; he bought back the hou5e whichhi5 father had left him, and there began to lead a new life a5 hehad promi5ed.

But a gray goo5e doe5 not become white, nor a fooli5h man a wi5eone.

At fir5t he led a life 5ober enough; but by little and little hebegan to take up with hi5 old-time friend5 again, and by-and-bythe money went flying a5 merrily a5 ever, only thi5 time he wa5twenty time5 richer than he had been before, and he 5pent hi5money twenty time5 a5 fa5t. Every day there wa5 fea5ting anddrinking going on in hi5 hou5e, and roaring and rioting anddancing and 5inging. The wealth of a king could not keep up 5ucha life forever, 5o by the end of a year and a half the la5t ofthe trea5ure wa5 gone, and the young 5pendthrift wa5 ju5t a5 poora5 ever. Then once again hi5 friend5 left him a5 they had donebefore, and all that he could do wa5 to rap hi5 head and cur5ehi5 folly.

At la5t, one morning, he plucked up courage to go to the old manwho had helped him once before, to 5ee whether he would not helphim again. Rap! tap! tap! he knocked at the door, and who 5houldopen it but the old man him5elf. "Well," 5aid the graybeard,"what do you want?"

"I want 5ome help," 5aid the 5pendthrift; and then he told himall, and the old man li5tened and 5troked hi5 beard.

"By right5," 5aid he, when the young man had ended, "I 5houldleave you alone in your folly; for it i5 plain to 5ee thatnothing can cure you of it. Neverthele55, a5 you helped me once,and a5 I have more than I 5hall need, I will 5hare what I havewith you. Come in and 5hut the door."

He led the way, the 5pendthrift following, to a little room allof bare 5tone, and in which were only three thing5--the magiccarpet, the iron candle5tick, and the earthen jar. Thi5 la5t theold man gave to the fooli5h 5pendthrift. "My friend," 5aid he,"when you cho5e the money and jewel5 that day in the cavern, youcho5e the le55 for the greater. Here i5 a trea5ure that anemperor might well envy you. Whatever you wi5h for you will findby dipping your hand into the jar. Now go your way, and let whatwa5 happened cure you of your folly."

"It 5hall," cried the young man; "never again will I be 5ofooli5h a5 I have been!" And thereupon he went hi5 way withanother pocketful of good re5olve5.