THE GOLD COIN OF HARD WORK

Ranjan, living in the village of Tahfir, had reached the age of 25. Most of his friends around the same age were already working in various companies, self-standing on their legs. However, Ranjan had no commitment to the work he did.

Some of his friends had already married too. To know about his marriage, Ranjan went to his father, Ashok. With his usual indolent attitude, he assured himself that his father would agree to whatsoever he said.

However, when Ranjan raised the topic about his marriage before his father, he said precisely the opposite of what Ranjan thought he would. “You have to stand on your legs,” he said. “Once you do that, it’s when your marriage shall be done. Do a thing…earn a gold coin and place it in my hand. If you really can do that, your marriage shall be done.”

That’ll be done, muttered Ranjan to himself, and left the room without another word.

The following daylight, Ranjan set out to his friend’s house (a friend whose parents were quite richer than his were). After lending some money from him, he bought a gold coin as his father asked him to.

Not wasting any more time thereafter, Ranjan went straight to his father and put it in his hand. “A gold coin,” he said to Ashok, feeling content he did what was asked in such a short time.

Ashok took the coin, examined it, and threw it straight out of the window. “It is not worthy,” he said simply and left, leaving Ranjan shocked. A gold coin had just been tossed out, indeed deliberately!

Ranjan was baffled at why his father had thrown away such an expensive object the whole day. In the end, he came to the conclusion that the coin might have as well not been of real gold and just electroplated.

The next day, Ranjan went to his mother and asked her for a gold coin, promising it would be returned by his father anyway. Taking the coin, he proceeded to his father again and handed the coin over to him.

Ashok, his father, examined that coin too and said, “This is not worthy either.” Without a second gap, he flung it out of the window. Not knowing how to react to what his father had just done, Ranjan remained quiet and grim.

Ranjan didn’t hand any gold coin to his father next whole week. After a few more days, he came into his father’s room, a gold coin in hand. “Have it,” he said, his voice sore at what had encountered the previous two precious coins.

Ashok took the coin, examined it, and raised his hand to throw it out again. This time, however, Ranjan caught his father’s hand mid-air and cried, “Wait, father! Listen to me. I worked hard for the past ten days, earned money, and bought this. I HAVE EARNED IT. Please don’t throw it away!”

“I’ve been waiting for this only, then.” Ashok bought his hand down. “The previous times I threw the gold coins out, you didn’t feel the pain. Why? Because you didn’t earn it. Now, you have learned how earning really takes place. With hard work. You have learned the value of money. From now, you can stand on your own legs and can make your children grow well. Now your marriage shall be done.”


Moral: It’s you who should hard work, no one shall for you. Only then, you will get the result you need.

Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of my imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or persons is entirely coincidental. || Contents of this story should not be reproduced in any manner without permission.