France: Cave of Goeblin (Goblin Cave)

It was frigidly cold and hunger gnawed at Francis' stomach. Cold bit through his thread bare clothes as he trudged across the ground into town. Today he hoped to get just a bit of bread to feed his starving body.

As he walked down the forested path he saw a small cave. Snow started to fall rapidly and he sought warmth and protection from the wind in the cave.

Walking into the cave he nearly fainted. All around there were towers of gold, heaps of jewels, and mountains of coins. This had to rival King Louis the XVI's riches!

He stood awestruck. He had to have discovered Eldorado! So much wealth...for a poor and starving peasant of the Third Estate, this was unfathomable. He stuck a shaking hand out to touch a heap of gold, maybe his hunger had driven him insane and this was a cruel dream.

He almost shrieked when his fingers touched the cold metal. It was real!

He glanced around to see if anyone else was in the cave. Finding no one he shot a furtive lance at the exit of the cave. He wasn't a thief...but was it thieving if he just took enough to feed himself?

He grabbed a fistful of coins, more than he had ever held before, and ran out into the cold. He didn't care it was cold, he would eat today!

Running up to the bakery in town he stood and waited with a crowd of other people. Everyone was thin and gaunt; there were sullen and hopeless looks on everyone, even the children.

The baker opened the door and everyone stormed in, shoving and pushing to get in. Francis got in and the baker put up the price for the bread for the day. He was in the back and couldn't see, he had let the women and children in first.

But he could tell by the shrieks and cries of anger, the price must have been outrageous. The money burned in his pocket and with a smile he cried above the din "I'll buy for everyone!'

The baker scoffed "Has his Highness come here himself?"

The crowed went silent and stepped back from him, and he strolled to the counter, putting his money on the table, grabbing a steaming loaf of bread and walking right out the door.

Such a satisfaction he got with having so much money at his disposal... food in his stomach used to bring such happiness, but not now, that was an old sensation.

No, now...he wanted to spend more. He had just bought food for the entire town! He shouldn't look like this! His boots had holes, his breeches and shirt were badly torn and frayed! His coat was muddy and dull, it had holes and missing buttons.

He made his way back to the cave, again finding no one there.

"What a fool leaves such wealth unguarded?" he pondered, taking more money, taking a few jewels and a lump of gold.

Now this of course was not stealing. No, it was just there. Finders' keepers.

He walked back to town and into the tailors shop, which has empty and saw very little business these days. The man who owned it looked up and Francis grinned

"Your finest clothes!" he yelled, setting a fistful of coins on the table.

The tailor couldn't believe his eyes. Leaping up at once he scurried for his tools and cloths.

It took several hours, but soon Francis stood in clothes fine enough for a nobleman. Smooth brown breeches, a silky white shirt, a red satin vest and a blue overcoat. He was adorned with a red cape with a gold cord. Then to top it off, a fine hat, the typical three point black leather frock hat.

He now looked as wealthy as he was, for he did claim everything in the cave.

Only thing wrong was his boots, so he made for the cobblers. Inside he demanded a fine pair of boots, and the cobber fit him.

"Your old boots are larger than these new ones, are you sure they fit?" he asked

This was insanity, how did this man have a job? He must be an idiot, of course the boots had to be the same size!

"Yes I'm sure!" he snapped and walked out.

As he walked he realized his clothes and boots became dirty, he could have no such thing, and so he walked up to a man with a fine hose, presumably a nobleman. He himself looked mostly like a noble, especially with his clothes not hiding his thin frame. His face was quite good looking, so he didn't look like a peasant very much at all.

"Monsieur? I cannot help but notice how lovely your horse in there, name your price and I shall match it!" he said with a charming smile, holding out a handful of jewels.

The man's eyes almost popped from his skull "Good Lord!" he cried "Take it, take the horse!" he threw the reins to Francis, greedily snatching up the jewels.

Francis mounted the beast and rode down the road. He felt like a king, never had he been so...powerful. People scurried from out of his way, he sat in clothes so fine, he rode a horse so grand!

The sleeves of his shirt seemed a little longer than before, but he paid no notice, getting himself some lunch instead.

Now he deemed his pockets to light, and he rode his horse back to the cave, taking more of the self-entitled riches. He gazed around, drinking in the shimmering piles of wealth. He was no longer hungry for bread, but for wealth.

A few days did pass, and he accumulated more possessions, another horse, more clothes, he ate finer breads and pastries. He did not help his fellows any longer, for if he helped them, would he not be soon poor?

And he grew shorter and shorter, but he seemed to not notice. He would gaze and wallow in the piles of his riches, all alone in the cave.

He would think of nothing else but money and power, he did not need anything else.

One day, he rode into town once more, to fetch himself a pig, for he would truly eat like a king tonight. But as he rode in, a woman shrieked in horror, kids went running from him, gorwn men froze in their place.

"Goblin!" one man shouted

Francis looked confused, but was angry with their stupidly. But he supposed that was all the peasants could do.

Suddenly a gun was fired at him, and he, though shocked, turned his horse and galloped off.

He of course went to his cave, sliding off his horse, and he did admit the distance from the horse to the ground seemed high. His foot splashed in a puddle and he looked down.

His eyes widened and he screamed. Instead of a well-dressed and handsome man, he was a short, ugly, twisted beast, in a noble' s clothes!

But alas, the reflection was him! For he had found the goblins cave, and he fell under the goblins curse. He had become greedy and selfish, stealing riches that were not his and now, he had become a goblin.

He could think of no way to deal with such a thing, and he darted into his cave, to cry and weep among the objects that had brought him such joy.

The greatest wealth, obtained by greatest stealth

Is a curse, is a curse! Sing it in such a verse

For the Goblin's cave, is a man's grave