Twistales

To make sure that his property would always remain safe and protected, a miser sold all that he had and converted it into one great lump of gold, which he hid in a hole in the ground. Since he went there continually to visit and inspect it, one of his workers became curious and suspected that his master had hidden a treasure. When the miser’s back was turned the worker went to the spot and stole the gold. Soon thereafter the miser returned, and when he found the hole empty, he wept and tore his hair. But a neighbour, who witnessed his grief, told him, “Don’t fret any longer. Just take a stone and put it in the same place. Then imagine that it’s your lump of gold. Since you never meant to use it, the stone will be just as good as the gold.”

Old Learning: The value of money depends not on accumulation but in its use.