There once lived a poor family without enough food to eat or enough wood for their fire. The mother decided to go into the forest to search for pinecones. She was
planning to use the pine cones to build a fire for her family, and she was also hoping she could sell some of them to get money to buy food.
After walking for hours, the mother finally reached the forest and started gathering pinecones into her basket. Suddenly, she heard a voice say, "Why are you stealing my pinecones?" With that, an elf
appeared beside her.
She explained her sad story to the elf. With a crooked smile, the elf said, "Go into the next forest. The pine cones there are much better."
Hesitantly, the mother set off to the next forest, which was even farther away. When she reached it, she was very tired. She leaned against a tree and sat her basket on the ground.
No sooner had she set down her basket, and dozens of pinecones started falling to the ground. Filled with renewed energy, she gathered all the pinecones into her basket and returned home.
Exhausted, she returned home and set the basket on her doorstep. When she looked down at the basket of pinecones, they had all turned to silver!!
The family would never be poor again. |