Gold Against the Soul

Nobody knows where he comes from, but they say that if you see him, it’s a sign you should be careful what you wish for.

There was once an old carpenter, a poor man, in need of some luck.  He said to himself ‘I would give anything to have just a little gold to see me through this winter’.

It was then that the strange little man appeared.  He promised the old man gold, in return for one thing.

The strange little man wanted the hand of the old man’s first daughter in marriage. Thinking he would never have a child, the old man agreed.

Over the warmth of fire, with the lure of wealth, terrible bargains can be made.

What price gold?

What price a soul?

Many years later, a wealthy nobleman came calling.  The old man said he had a daughter who could spin straw into gold.   The nobleman was intrigued and decided he must take her for his wife.

Over the warmth of fire, with the lure of wealth, terrible bargains can be made.

What price gold?

What price a soul?

In time the two were married.

But the strange little man returned, and was not happy to see that what was rightfully his had been given away to another.

The merchant was happy, sure his fortune was set.

But his new wife sat by the fire, surrounded by straw, not knowing how to make that straw become gold.

In desperation she cried out that she would give anything to know how to make gold from this straw.

The strange little man appeared.  In exchange for her wedding ring, he would give her some gold.

Over the warmth of fire, with the lure of wealth, terrible bargains can be made.

What price gold?

What price a soul?

In time the couple were expecting their first child.  They were so happy.

From time to time, the wife would find gold that had been left for her.  Her wedding ring had been a small price to pay.

But the strange little man returned to claim what was rightfully his.  He didn’t have the old man’s daughter, so now he would take the granddaughter.

Over the warmth of fire, with the lure of wealth, terrible bargains can be made.

What price gold?

What price a soul?

The young woman was desperate, he could take anything he wanted, but not her daughter.  The strange little man challenged her.  If she could tell him his name, she and her family would be free.

But all she knew was he was a strange little man.  She guessed name after name.

The strange little man danced around, confident he had won.

And then she remembered.  A song she’d heard him sing, one night by the fire, boasting of his greatness.

She knew his name.

Over the warmth of fire, with the lure of wealth, terrible bargains can be made.

She never saw the strange little man again.  Her soul was free.

And there never was any more gold.