THE GOLD COIN STORY

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 bountiful. 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 crystal waters of the river and saw his own reflexion. But his reflection wasn't all that he saw. Right through his forehead, between his eyebrows of his own image reflected on the water, little Eiwan 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 as if they were coming out of its sockets.

Without any thought he reached down to grab the coin, but the coin happened to be deeper than he anticipated, and with a sudden movement little Eiwan felt into the icy waters of the mighty river. His mind was only focused on the gold, and little Eiwan swam into the dark depths of his own ambition. Almost out of breath, he takes a final push and finally grabs the coin. Oh, and he was happy.

He opened his little hand underwater and looked at his new possession. 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 long and wicked root from the biggest tree standing at the edge of the river came through the walls and traps the little boy's leg. Little Eiwan felt like bony and old hand grabbing his skin by 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 make 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 always: A potato boiled in hot water with spices and love.

- "Where you been Eiwee? Why are you all wet?" - Asked mother worried.

- "I felt into the river" - little Eiwan said while sitting at the table and telling his mom the story of the gold coin.

Father was listening behind the door and when he hears about the gold coin, he desperately begins to question the little boy.

-"Tell me more my boy! Where is that coin? Show papa the exact place boy, COME ON! - Father started to get very 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 made the boy 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 Father dive deep and grab the coin; and they felt happy. Was right then, when they realised the same wicked root got hooked on Father's pants. And little Eiwan started to cry.

- "Why are you crying?" - Asked Mother "You know father is strong, he'll free himself easily"

- " But I know that root and I also know father, and he won't let go of the coin to free himself" - Said little Eiwan crying.

In that moment Mother saw father struggling to come back up.

- "Help, Help. Please someone help us PLEASE!" - Mother shouted as she began to panic.

In the meantime....

An old man was looking the scene from the other side of the river but without reaction to the tragedy.

- "Sir, please help my husband" - Said Mother as soon as she sees the old man.

- "Please sir, my dad is drowning trying to get a gold coin"- Said little Eiwan.


The old man, looks up and calmly 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 into the mist of the mighty river.

Right there, in front of little Eiwan and his mother, Father was gone. He simply vanished. Disappeared. The only thing left was the gold coin which sat at the same spot, for all to see and for all time's sake.


Moral: Never let your ambitions stop you from living, loving and sharing.

LoveAlways

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