THE GOLD COIN
An original idea about an ancient concept.
by Eduardo Blanco
A story inspired by David Dilaj
Once upon a time there was a little boy from the town of Gubin in the ancient Poland. His name was Eiwan.
Eiwan was born into a very poor family. The mother always taking care of little Eiwan and the tiny piece of land they had in the backyard. The father working the mines looking for coal to warm up his family during the cold winters.
Even thou money was always scarce, love was always present. It was a beautiful family where everyone looked after each other.
Little Eiwan loved to play and laugh but didn't have too many friends. He was always looked down for his poor upbringings and garments, very clean though but all teared up and full of patches.
The other boys were quite mean to him but he didn't care. He knew one day those boys would see beyond his appearance and find that he is just as good as anybody else.
One day, while playing by the river Oder, little Eiwan looked down into the water and saw a his own reflexion. But that wasn't all he saw. Right through his forehead in his reflexion saw a gold coin sitting at the bottom of the river. He couldn't believe his eyes. His jaw dropped to the floor and his eyes open so widely that he felt they were coming out of its sockets.
Immediately after, he reached down to grab the coin but it was too deep into the river and little Eiwan felt in the cold waters. Not thinking about anything else, little Eiwan begun swimming deeper and deeper trying to grab the coin. Almost out of breath he takes a final push and grabs the coin. Oh, he was happy.
He opened his little hand and looked at the coin. It almost covered completely his tiny palm.
- Mother is going to be so happy! Surely she'll prepare a feast for the whole family- Thought little Eiwan.
In that moment, a tree-root coming through the walls of the river gets hooked in one of the holes on the back of his pants.
- Oh my God! - little Eiwan was running out of air.
He knew he needed to swim up and at the same time free himself from whatever was holding him down. But with one arm to swim and the other one holding the coin he was going nowhere.
He needed to take a decision. He needed to let go of the gold coin to free himself and swim back to the surface as fast as possible.
- I don't want to die, mother and father would be devastated - mumbled in the water little Eiwan.
He dropped the coin and it fell back to the same spot where little Eiwan found it and he freed himself and swam up to the river bank.
little Eiwan's mother was waiting for him back at home. Supper was served, same as alway: A potato boiled in hot water.
- Where you been Eiwee? are you all wet? - Asked mother.
- I went into the river - little Eiwan said while sitting at the table and telling the story of the gold coin.
When Father hears about the coin starts questioning the little boy.
-Tell me more!, where is that coin? show me the exact place boy, COME ON! - Father started to get so intense. His voice started to get louder and louder. Father could only think about all he could buy with that coin. All the coal for winter and food that probably would last until next harvest. Father's intentions were good but his ambition drove him mad.
Father took little Eiwan back to the river and make him show him where the coin was, and so he did.
Father waited no moment to dive into the river.
Be careful dad - little Eiwan shouted but father couldn't hear, he was already going deep into the waters.
Mother and little Eiwan saw him grab the coin and felt happy. Was then, when they realized the same tree-root got hooked in Father's pants.
little Eiwan started to cry.
- Why are you crying? - Asked Mother
- Because I know father and he won't let go of the coin to free himself - Said little Eiwan
In that moment Mother saw father struggling to come back up.
- Help, Help. Please someone help us PLEASE! - Mother shouted in panic.
An old man was looking the scene from the other side of the river but without reaction to the trajedy.
- Sir, please help my husband - Said Mother
- Please sir, my dad is drowning trying to get a gold coin- said little Eiwan.
And the old man said:
- No little boy, your dad is not drowning trying to get a gold coin. He is drowning for his ambition and inability to let go of it. I'm sorry there's nothing I can do. And the old man turned around and disappeared in the mist, right in front of little Eiwan and his mother.
Moral: Never let your ambitions stop you from living, loving and sharing.
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See you next session ☝
SatNam
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