“Golden coin”
A lovely story of two friends
who show true friendship and kindness to one another.
Once upon a time, there are two friends lived in Terabithia named Lizzie and Lily. These two young children loved each other and were always together. No one can get on well like they do. Many interesting story might be told of their unselfishness, and of how fairy god mother gave them the true reward of moral. One tale alone, however, will be enough to show how strong was their affection and their goodness. It was a beautiful sunshine day in early summer when Lizzie and Lily plan to go out together because they were tired of the city and its noises.
Lizzie: “Let us go into the forest.”
“There we can forget the things that worry us;
there we can breathe the fresh air and lie on the green.”
Lily: “Good!”
“I am tired too. The forest is the place for rest.”
The two lovers are happy on a holiday, they passed along the winding road, and their eyes are looking toward the distant tree-tops. Their hearts beat fast as they drew nearer and nearer to the woods.
Lizzie: “I have worked over my books for 3 months and
I haven’t had a rest. I feel like my head is about to explode.
Oh, can you feel the freshness”
Lily: And I,” [added Vijen sadly],
“have worked like a slave at my counter and found it just as dumb as you have found your books. My boss treats me badly. It seems good, indeed, to get beyond his reach.”
Now they came to the border of the grove, crossed a little stream, and plunged headlong among the trees and shrubs. For many an hour they rambled on, talking and laughing merrily; when suddenly on passing round a clump of flower-covered bushes, they saw shining in the pathway directly in front of them a lump of gold.
Lizzie&Lily: “See!”
[said both, speaking at the same time, and pointing toward the treasure.]
Lizzie, stooping, picked up the nugget. It was nearly as large as a lemon, and was very pretty.
Lizzie: “It’s yours, Lily,”, [at the same time handing it toLily]
“yours because you saw it first.”
Lily: “No, no,” [answered Lily], “you are wrong, girl, for you were first to speak. Now, you can never say hereafter that the good fairy have not rewarded you for all your faithful hours of study.”
“Repaid me for my study! Why, that is impossible. Are not the wise men always saying that study brings its own reward? No, the gold is yours: I insist upon it. Think of your weeks of hard labour—of the masters that have ground you to the bone! Here is something far better. Take it,” he said, laughing. “May it be the nest egg by means of which you may hatch out a great fortune.”
So they joked for some minutes, each refusing to take the treasure for herself; each insisting that it belonged to the other. At last, the chunk of gold was dropped in the very spot where they had first spied it, and the two comrades went away, each happy because she loved her friend better than anything else in the world. Thus they turned their backs on any chance of quarreling.
Lizzie: “It was not for gold that we left the city,” [exclaimed Lizzie warmly.]
“No,” replied his friend, “One day in this forest is worth a thousand nuggets.”
Lily: “Let's go to the spring and sit down on the rocks because it is the coolest spot,” [suggested Nycha.]
When they reached the spring they were sorry to find the place already occupied. A countryman was stretched at full length on the ground.
Lily: “Wake up, fellow!” cried Vijen, “there is money for you near by. Up yonder path a golden apple is waiting for some man to go and pick it up.”
Then they described to the unwelcome stranger the exact spot where the treasure was, and were delighted to see his set out in eager search.
For an hour they enjoyed each other’s company, talking of all the hopes and ambitions of their future, and listening to the music of the birds that hopped about on the branches overhead.
At last they were startled by the angry voice of the man who had gone after the nugget.
A man: “What trick is this you have played on me, masters? Why do you make a poor man like me run his legs off for nothing on a hot day?”
Lizza: “What do you mean, fellow?” [asked Nycha, astonished.]
“Did you not find the fruit we told you about?”
?????: “No,” [he answered, in a tone of half-hidden rage,]
“but in its place a monster snake, which I cut in two with my blade.
Now, the gods will bring me bad luck for killing something in the woods.
If you thought you could drive me from this place by such a trick,
you’ll soon find you were mistaken, for I was first upon this spot
and you have no right to give me orders.”
Nycha: “Stop your chatter, and take this copper for your tro