Life is a long tale of joys and sorrows and mine has been particularly so. I have travelled widely. I have been in the custody of people of all types. Some were miserly and wanted to keep me imprisoned. Others were extravagant and did not attach any importance to me. Sometimes, I was lost through carelessness and I lay on the ground covered with dust and my bright face devoid of any charm. Now that I am an old coin lying in the chest on an antiquarian. I can recollect some of the most exciting adventures of my life. Here are a few of them.
It was a bright summer day when I was handed over to a young gentleman across the counter of a bank. The gentleman took me. He seemed to like me. Therefore he put me in his pocket and took me home. Everyone who saw me praised me for my bright looks. I was soon placed in the cash-box. It was a pleasure to be in the company of so many coins, some of them as bright and beautiful as I was. I had some very happy moments of my life here. We talked, laughed and jingled if anyone touched us. It was really a very happy company.
I hoped to end my life here but it was not to be. One dark night some thieves broke into the house. They broke open the cash-box, and kidnapped me. The thieves saw me. They were attracted by my bright looks. The leader of the gang took me and handed me over to his wife as a token of his love for her. The wife was delighted to see me but she was an extravagant lady. She took me to the market and gave me to a shopkeeper for a piece of fine cloth.
Now I was in the strong box of the shopkeeper. The fellow seemed to be very rich. He had hundreds of coins in his box. So he did not care a fig for me. I felt very disconsolate here. I prayed to the Almighty to free me from this prison. What a drab company it was! My prayers were heard. The shopkeeper had to give me away for a bale of cloth.
Here, too, I did not stay long. I was now fond of adventures. One day I quietly