` Legendary Fictions of the Irish Celts , ' by Patrick Kennedy . A Lost Paradise In the middle of a great forest there lived a long time ago a charcoal-burner and his wife . They were both young and handsome and strong , and when they got married , they thought work would never fail them . But bad times came , and they grew poorer and poorer , and the nights in which they went hungry to bed became more and more frequent . Now one evening the king of that country was hunting near the charcoal-burner 's hut . As he passed the door , he heard a sound of sobbing , and being a good-natured man he stopped to listen , thinking that perhaps he might be able to give some help . ` Were there ever two people so unhappy ! ' said a woman 's voice . ` Here we are , ready to work like slaves the whole day long , and no work can we get . And it is all because of the curiosity of old mother Eve ! If she had only been like me , who never want to know anything , we should all have been as happy as kings to-day , with plenty to eat , and warm clothes to wear . Why -- ' but at this point a loud knock interrupted her lamentations . ` Who is there ? ' asked she . ` I ! ' replied somebody . ` And who is `` I '' ? ' ` The king . Let me in . ' Full of surprise the woman jumped up and pulled the bar away from the door .
As the king entered , he noticed that there was no furniture in the room XXXXX all , not even a chair , so he pretended to be in too great a hurry to see anything around him , and only said ` You must not let me disturb you .
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