The Little Bag with Two Coins

SCOALA CU CLASELE I-VIII NR. 6 "ANISOARA ODEANU" LUGOJ ROMANIA

Story illustrated by Attila Leszl

nce upon a time there was an old woman and an old man who lived in the

countryside. The old man had a rooster and the woman had a hen. One day, the old man begged his wife to borrow some eggs, but she was so mean that she refused him. The man was very sad and started beating the rooster for not giving him any eggs. The rooster escaped from the old mans hands, scared and dazed, it started wandering around when suddenly he saw a tiny bag with two coins in it. While it was walking back home, very pleased with the little treasure he had found, the rooster met a carriage with a landlord inside. The man saw the roosters bag and ordered the cabman to take the bag away from the rooster and then he left. The rooster was very angry so he followed the carriage. The landlord was irritated by the roosters perseverance so, seeing a fountain, he ordered the cabman to throw the rooster in it. But the rooster drank the water in the fountain until he was able to fly away from there. He started to run after the carriage again. As soon as the landlord arrived at his mansion, he ordered a woman from the kitchen to throw the rooster in an oven. But the rooster was thrown in the middle of the cattle. The rooster started gobbling up all the cows and bulls, one after another. The landlord didnt know what else to do to get rid of this rooster! He threw it in his cellar where he kept all his money. He hoped that the rooster would choke on his first coin. But the greedy rooster emptied the landlords chest and escaped from the cellar. When the landlord saw that it was not possible to defeat the rooster, he gave it the little bag only to get rid of it. The rooster tried to walk back home when he found a poor man. This man was married to a wicked woman who hated him. The only thing that made him happy was hunting rabbits and birds in the close forest.

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One day, he went out hunting but caught nothing. He was really worried because his wife was going to hit him if he had not caught anything for them to eat. On his way home the man found the rooster and thought, What a lucky man I am. Finally my wife will be happy because she will be able to cook a tasty soup. I can buy a new pair of shoes with that bag of money too. The rooster guessed his thoughts and shouted, Dont take me home. Dont kill me, let me live free and you will be like my father. I will be a good son for you. But the poor man, still thinking about his wifes anger, put the rooster in the bag. When he arrived back home, he told his wife to prepare a very big pot. He was going to kill the rooster. When the rooster saw the big knife he got the hiccups and he vomited some coins. The man saw the money and he decided to keep him in a cage. The man kept the cage in his kitchen where he could keep an eye on him. The rooster said to the man Please do not keep me here. What are you going to do with me? The man did not answer. He stared at the rooster and then went to bed. All night, the rooster tried to break free but it was impossible. The rooster thought about his owner, the old man and how he had asked his wife for the eggs. He thought about how he had been angry because he had no eggs. Then he thought about how the poor mans wife was wicked. This made the rooster think that women were evil. So the rooster decided to help the poor man by hiccupping up more coins. The next morning, the man woke up and walked through to the kitchen. He saw a bright glow coming from the cage he had put the rooster in. The rooster had hiccupped up loads more coins. Im rich! said the man. He told his wife the good news and she was amazed. The man said to the rooster, Thank you so much. I will set you free now. The rooster wanted to walk back home when he realised that he was lost Rooster kept walking without knowing his destination. While rooster was walking down the path, a man appeared. He was an old and lonely man who lived in a cottage in the forest. He was so lonely that he didnt have any friends to share his thoughts and feelings. When the old man saw the rooster, he thought that We could be friends. So old man said, Hey, I am an old and lonely man and I live in cottage deep into the forest. If you want, we can be friends and you can come with me. 38

But the rooster had some hesitations. Because rooster didnt have good memories with people. People have exploited him so far. But the old man insisted on he managed to change roosters mind. Then they started walking through the forest. Rooster told him the bad events he involved in when they were on the way to the cottage. Old man was very sad when he heard these bad events. He said - You dont have to worry anymore. I am a good man and this is the beginning of a new friendship with his calm voice. Rooster thought that this man is trustworthy and his ideas about the people started to change with the help of this old man. Therefore, rooster felt himself happy and safe. When they arrived to old mans cottage, they ate something and they slept. In the morning, when the rooster woke up, there was a silence around. Rooster saw the man, he was lying on the couch. Rooster tried to wake the old man up but he didnt even move. He was dead. Rooster was very sad. He started walking deep into the forest again without knowing his destination. He walked and walked for some time and it seemed as if many days had passed. He began to feel so worried that he couldnt find the way out of the woods. On top of this, he was tired and hungry. He stopped and looked around, then on the right he saw a bunch of sticks all gathered. Hmm...I could have a nap here, he said to himself. Hardly had he made himself comfortable in the cosy bed when someone or something yelled at him. Hey! You! Get off my sticks! Do you have any idea how long it took me to collect them all? Oh God! You strangers are so dump! a small fat beaver scolded him. Im so sorry Mr Beaver! I didnt know they were yours! apologised the rooster. Oh! Yeah! Its Ok, its ok. Never mind. Anyway, what are you doing here? Its a long story...and now Im lost. 39

I guess you must be hungry, but you are so lucky! My wife is one of the best cooks in the forest, said the beaver inviting the rooster to follow him to his house. On their way home, the rooster told the beaver all that had happened to him since he left his home. They started talking about their lives. Arent you afraid of the other animals from the forest? asked the rooster. No, no, no. They are all very friendly and we are all very good neighbours....with just one exception: The Fox. The Fox? Yes, yes, The Fox. The creature all the animals are afraid of. She comes and takes what she wants, whenever she wants. If you dont obey her orders she grabs you and takes you to her cave. No one has ever come alive out of there. Wow! And isnt there anyone to put an end to this? asked the rooster. The only creature that the Fox fears is the Supreme Hunter. But he only takes attitude when things get really ugly. But enough talking about this! Look, there is my house! Somewhere by the river there was a small house made of sticks and mud. However, it seemed quite welcoming and warm. They entered a small round room with a round table in the middle, three chairs and two cupboards with colourful flowers painted on them. The fire was burning in the chimney and a big pot was hung above it. It smelled so good. Marta, Marta! Come here, we have guests! Oh! Coming! answered a tiny voice. A lady beaver wearing a colourful apron came out from one of the two doors on the other side of the room. Rooster, this is my wife, Marta! Pleased to meet you Mrs Beaver! Please call me Marta! You must be starving! Lets have something to eat. That night the rooster ate the best meal he had ever eaten before. They stayed till late at night talking and laughing. After that, the rooster went to sleep near the chimney. He started dreaming as soon as he fell asleep. He dreamt he was back home but everything 40

looked very sad over there. He saw the old man, his master, and he was crying. He woke up and said to himself: It was very nice here but now I have to find the way back home. My master needs me! Mr Beaver, Mr Beaver! I have to go now. Mr Beaver! Where are you? Then, suddenly, the front door opened and Mr Beaver entered the room very scared and hardly breathing. Mr Beaver, I.... Hush! Silence! The Fox is coming... Hardly had Mr Beaver finished the sentence when a huge red-haired fox appeared. There was something strange about her. The rooster couldnt tell what exactly it was...but when she got near sniffing him, he saw HIS tiny bag with golden coins in it hanging at the Foxs neck. Suddenly, the rooster remembered that he had forgotten the bag with the coins in the old mans house. Dear Fox, this bag is mine! Give it to me, please. Oh, dear rooster, come closer to me and take it!, said the cunning Fox. The rooster wanted eagerly to take the bag and he got dangerously close to the Fox. The Fox stretched a hand holding the bag to the rooster and when he tried to take it , the fox attacked him. He managed to- jump and then he began to run. The Fox followed him. The Fox was getting closer and closer and the rooster wondered where to go. Suddenly he noticed a tree in front of him. The rooster was very exhausted but he managed to jump very high on the tree. The Fox was very angry because she didnt catch the rooster. The Fox was talking wilily to the rooster : Get down ! I wont do harm to you! Get down and take your bag with the money! I wanted only to take you to my home because my little foxes havent got any friends to play with. The rooster, remembering the Beavers words, didnt want to get down. The rooster knew that the Fox would eat him if she caught him. The Fox begged the rooster for a long time. When she realized that she couldnt persuade him to get down she said angrily: If you dont get down I will cut the tree with my tail!

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Then the rooster showed off, vomited all the water that he had drunk from the fountain. The water wetted the Fox and she fell on the ground. The rooster thought the Fox drowned and he jumped down to the ground. The rooster put the Fox on his shoulders and set off to look for the path towards his master. The rooster was very happy because his master would make a coat for his wife from the fur of the fox. The rooster went on his journey. Suddenly he saw a deep river. The rooster looked around to see a bridge over the river but he didnt see one. Then the rooster remembered swallowing the cows and oxes. He made some efforts and vomited them. Roosters eyes were full of tears and he told them: Dear friends, help me to cross the river, please! The cows and the oxes arranged one by one in the river and the rooster crossed the river stepping in their backs. The rooster thanked them and he continued his path to his home, carrying the Fox on his shoulders. The rooster and the hen decided to run away from the house . They decided to get married and to go on a honeymoon. They paid for the fantastic trip with the roosters coins. When they returned, they went to live in the middle of the forest, just near the beavers house. The rooster and Mr. Beaver built a nice house together and Mrs. Marta and Martina the hen furnished it. The wives sewed a carpet with fox fur. Their life was full of happiness but the rooster didnt have money anymore. So they decided to open a restaurant with their neighbours the Beavers. The business was going well so they had money again. They had many clients and everybody was satisfied with their food. One day the Beavers told the rooster and the hen that they didnt want to pay for them anymore and they had to leave. They did it. They were walking long through the forest 42

seeking a place to stay. On their way they met a stranger named Dariusz the unicorn. He offered to help them to survive and they continued their journey together. Dariusz didnt have his own house because he was from Mordor and no one wanted to sell him a house. After a few days of walking through the forest the rooster realized that he knew this neighbourhood it was his home. He was very happy and surprised. He was touched so he started crying. Everybody got into the house. But you must know that the owner of the rooster was dead and in the house there was only his wife. She was poor and starving so when she saw them, she took an axe and attacked them. She killed the roster and the hen. She made a chicken soup and fried chicken from them and invited Dariusz for dinner. The fell in love... Dariusz and the old woman were sitting and the table enjoying their chicken soup. The woman was looking at Dariusz. He was so handsome. She had never seen a creature as beautiful as him in her entire life. She was wondering how could a creature like Dariusz even look at her? She admitted. She was old and ugly. This couldnt make any sense. But she tried to forget that. It really didnt matter. The only thing that mattered was that they loved each other. Everything seemed to be alright when suddenly everything around them started to dissapear. First the furniture, after that the walls, the entire house and even the sky and the ground on which they were sitting. Out of a sudden they found themselves in a very strange place. The only thing that they could notice around them was darkness. Fumes of dark colours were floating everywhere. The starnge thing was that they couldnt see any ground under their feet but strangely they were standing on something. They were terrified Dariusz, whats happening?, asked the old woman with a frightened voice. Out of nowhere a huge light appeared in the middle of darkness. No. Not him again. It cant be. I thought I was free!, said Dariusz on a strange tone. Suddenly, from the huge flash of light emerged an old man with a long white beard, wearing a brown hooded robe. He started talking: Whatever I do with you, wherever I send you, the only thing you are capable of doing is to destroy everything in your path and ruin the lives of others! You disappointed me for the last time Dariusz! Ahhhh! But I cant change you. This is you. This is your personality. You really didnt learn anything in the years when you studied under me. What a shame, said the old man. Excuse me, but can you tell me who you are and where am I now?!, asked the old woman. The old man started laughing. He took his hood off and answered with a /broad smile on his face: I didnt use my name for a long, long time I dont even know if I remember it anymore. You can say that I am someone who looks upon everything that happens in this world and in others. I am someone who protects you. I am taking care of everything. I am trying to keep the universe in balance. In short, you can call me The Overseer. And, for your second question, you are in a special designed crystal orb. I use it to imprison the ones who commit great imbalances in the universe, as Dariusz. I really like this orb. Its infinite, it cant be filled, you cant die in it, you cant get old, you dont need sleep, you dont need food or water or anything of the sort. The only thing that you can do is to stay here and think about what youve done, forever. Or at least until I take you out of here. I want to apologize for

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bringing you here. My old apprentice sitting right next to you is the one who I want to talk with. I brought you here by mistake. I am really sorry for this misunderstanding. So What happens with me now?, asked the old woman very disoriented. You will wake up, you wont remember anything, and everything will be alright. Just like this, answered the old man. He clapped his fingers and the old woman disappeared. Now, lets return to you, said the old man and he looked with anger upon Dariusz. Master, I can explain, I didnt meant any harm Oh, just shut up! You dont even know what youve done. I set you free and gave you the ability of transforming into any creature that you can dream of, little goblin., said the old man and Dariusz started shining. He suddenly morphed back to his original shape. You chose to morph into a creature that you know nothing about. A unicorn is something pure, saintly. It doesnt have anything in common with you. He stays hidden in forests and he doesnt show up in front of everyone! And especially he doesnt fall in love with any old woman that he sights! What youve done is an aberration! It doesnt make any sense! And the worst thing is that you ruined the life of some innocent creatures! Just by morphing into a unicorn you created a great imbalance in time and space! Now I need to repair everything! Do you think that its so easy to control time and influence the fates of others?, asked the old man. Ummmif I may answer, I would say that for you it is!, replied Dariusz very sure of himself. Then you have learnt nothing. I am old and I really need someone to take my place but it seems that you arent the one /person Im looking for. Let me show you how things shouldve stayed, Dariusz., said the old man and suddenly he showed up in a huge library, with the crystal orb on a table standing right next to him. The shelves were very high and long. You could even have the impression that they would never end. He took out a book and blew the dust from its cover. He opened the book on the last page. There was a picture of the unicorn and the old woman sitting at a table. The Overseer put his hand above the picture and it started to shine. The picture disappeared.The writing started to fade away as well and the pages were moving backwards. Everything stopped when the old man let his hand down. He stopped at a picture with the rooster with the dead fox on his shoulders and the bag with the two coins in it hanging at his neck. Let us continue from here., said The Overseer and suddenly writing started to appear on the pages of the book The rooster was very excited thinking that he would finally arrive home. He missed everyone there. His master, the old woman, the hen He was drawing near his house. He entered the courtyard and started to cock-a-doodle-doo. The old man got out of the house and he was amazed. He couldnt believe his eyes. Hes back! Hes back! My son is back!, said the old man with tears in his eyes. He ran towards the rooster and embraced him with love. Im sorry, Im so sorry. Please, never leave again., said the old man crying. Whats with all this noise?, asked the old woman when she got out of the house with the hen right next to her. Hes back!, yelled the old man with happiness in his voice. Everyone started dancing, jumping and enjoying the extraordinary moment. What did you bring here?, asked the old man and took the fox off the roosters shoulders. 44

The old man took the bag from the roosters neck and took out the two golden coins in it. Look at this. Its money! Can you believe it? And I can make you a nice coat from the foxs skin as well! This must be a dream! Its too beautiful to be true! Oh, thank you, honey. II love you., said the old woman. Dont thank me. I havent done anything. Thank Rooster. He brought both the money and the fox., replied the old man. The hen approached Rooster. I really missed you. Dont leave again. If you do, next time Ill follow you., said Hen. A tear appeared in the roosters eye and suddenly something strange started to happen. He started hiccuping and he spit out all the gold and the coins that he had swallowed in the landlords treasury. Nobody could belive their eyes. This was the happiest moment in their life With the money they bought a big house and a lot of animals. Hen and Rooster married and they had lots of chicks. And they all lived in peace happily ever after The End.>> The Overseer closed the book. He put it back in its shelf and after that said: Lovely, isnt it Dariusz? I love when everything ends well. So, what do we learn from this? We always need to be pleased with what we have and be grateful from the far depths of our soul. Why? Because the things that we have can be far more precious than we know and we usually realize this just when we had lost what we had. So, what do you think Dariusz?, asked the old man and suddenly a voice echoed from the crystal orb: GET ME OUT OF HERE!!! The Overseer laughed and exited the huge library leaving the crystal orb behind...

The end

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