Hello One and All!
It is often said that greed can make one ugly. The Russian folktale, "The Golden Mountain", exemplifies this aspect of the vice best. A constant hankering for riches can twists one's character into something not entirely human, almost unrecognizable to those closest to us. Let us see what the story has to say.
The Golden Mountain: Greed's Plight
Once upon a time, there was a spendthrift merchant's son, who squandered his fortune away. Forced into destitution, he had to take a shovel and take station at the nearby bazaar, in the hope that somebody might provide him with a job. Many rich people passed by but none deigned to even meet his gaze, until a carriage came to a stop next to him and a rich merchant lolled through the window.
"Good fellow, let me hire you for a job," said the stranger.
At that moment the young man noticed that the area was unnaturally quiet - the other labourers must've scampered away when they saw the carriage.
"My price is 100 rubles."
"Why such a high amount?"
The would-be labourer replied, " Because all of your options seemed to have vanished."
The rich man couldn't argue with such sound logic and they agreed to meet again at the docks the next day.
When the merchant's son arrived at their appointed place, the merchant was already waiting. The duo boarded a ship and sailed for a lengthy time, after which they arrived at a small island, where a golden palace gleamed in the sun. They came ashore and a beautiful woman rushed out to meet them - the rich merchant's son - accompanied by a beautiful daughter. The four of them proceeded to hold a feast in the great hall and the merriment made the affections grow between the two young people. At the height of the festivities, the daughter left the room, beckoning the young man to follow. In a small alcove, she thrust a stone and a flint into his hands.
The next morning, the rich merchant and his new merchant scaled the island's golden mountain. After considerable exertion, they were able to reach the midway point.
"Let us drink!" said the merchant.
The rich man offered him the drink first. After taking a couple of sips, he could feel himself become drowsy, and then sleep completely overtook him. Seeing the draught having the desired effect, the merchant killed his horse, hollowed out its insides and pushed the young man inside, whereupon he sewed the belly opening shut. A murder of crows promptly arrived and flew with the carcass to the summit. Their ravenous beaks ripped the horse's body apart and the man woke as the birds were about to peck at his unconscious body.
"W-where am I?!" said young rake.
The merchant screamed from below, "It doesn't matter. You must start to dig for gold."
And so the young man began to work, since there was nothing else to be done on the small patch of stone he found himself on. During the course of that day, the labourer threw the chunks of precious minerals to the merchant below, until the small cart groaned under the weight.
"Farewell!" echoed the rich man's voice.
"But how will I descend from here?"
The merchant laughed. "That isn't my problem. You are the hundredth man to be on that summit and all your predecessors perished. I hope you do the same."
Black crows circled above the poor fellow, similar to the dark thoughts clouding his mind. In that frame of mind, he thought of the one pleasant thing to have happened to him recently - the meeting with the kind daughter. He retrieved the stone and flint. Without a second thought, he struck it together, causing two beings to appear before him.
"What is your wish?" they said.
"I want to get off this mountain."
Without preamble, he was spirited away and found himself standing, once again, in front of his home.
After a long time, the merchant's son returned to his profligate ways and was standing on the spot at the bazaar, his shovel in his hands.
A familiar gilded carriage trundled through the street and all the labourers dived into side streets. The rich merchant poked his head through, not recognizing his former employee.
"Come work for me!"
The young man said, "For 200 rubles I will."
Events proceeded very similar to the previous occasion. The duo reached the golden mountain's midway point and the rich merchant produced a bottle and announced they should drink, but the young man interjected.
"It would be improper for me to drink. Allow me to give you a present of wine."
The rich merchant gulped down the beverage but unbeknownst to him, the young man had mixed a sleeping formula into his gift, and the older man started to snore before too long.
The rich merchant awoke on the summit. He had no other option but to obey the merchant's son, and so started dug out the gold and throw it down. Near day's end, the man had filled twelve carts full of gold.
"Thank you for your efforts, dear merchant!"
"Please help me escape from here," the man entreated.
"A merciless man once told me that 99 men had met their fate on that outcrop. It seems fate destined you to be the hundredth."
Realization dawned on the merchant's red face. Despite all of his power and wealth, he was powerless to stop the young man from walking away.
The young fellow returned to the golden palace. He was embraced by the rich man's daughter and showered with affection. The radiant beauty would become his wife and they were able to live out the rest of their days without worry. Never once did he visit the bazaar again.
Thank you for reading!
It is often said that greed can make one ugly. The Russian folktale, "The Golden Mountain", exemplifies this aspect of the vice best. A constant hankering for riches can twists one's character into something not entirely human, almost unrecognizable to those closest to us. Let us see what the story has to say.
The Golden Mountain: Greed's Plight
Once upon a time, there was a spendthrift merchant's son, who squandered his fortune away. Forced into destitution, he had to take a shovel and take station at the nearby bazaar, in the hope that somebody might provide him with a job. Many rich people passed by but none deigned to even meet his gaze, until a carriage came to a stop next to him and a rich merchant lolled through the window.
"Good fellow, let me hire you for a job," said the stranger.
At that moment the young man noticed that the area was unnaturally quiet - the other labourers must've scampered away when they saw the carriage.
"My price is 100 rubles."
"Why such a high amount?"
The would-be labourer replied, " Because all of your options seemed to have vanished."
The rich man couldn't argue with such sound logic and they agreed to meet again at the docks the next day.
When the merchant's son arrived at their appointed place, the merchant was already waiting. The duo boarded a ship and sailed for a lengthy time, after which they arrived at a small island, where a golden palace gleamed in the sun. They came ashore and a beautiful woman rushed out to meet them - the rich merchant's son - accompanied by a beautiful daughter. The four of them proceeded to hold a feast in the great hall and the merriment made the affections grow between the two young people. At the height of the festivities, the daughter left the room, beckoning the young man to follow. In a small alcove, she thrust a stone and a flint into his hands.
 |
| Illustration by Lucy Fitch Perkins. |
The next morning, the rich merchant and his new merchant scaled the island's golden mountain. After considerable exertion, they were able to reach the midway point.
"Let us drink!" said the merchant.
The rich man offered him the drink first. After taking a couple of sips, he could feel himself become drowsy, and then sleep completely overtook him. Seeing the draught having the desired effect, the merchant killed his horse, hollowed out its insides and pushed the young man inside, whereupon he sewed the belly opening shut. A murder of crows promptly arrived and flew with the carcass to the summit. Their ravenous beaks ripped the horse's body apart and the man woke as the birds were about to peck at his unconscious body.
"W-where am I?!" said young rake.
The merchant screamed from below, "It doesn't matter. You must start to dig for gold."
And so the young man began to work, since there was nothing else to be done on the small patch of stone he found himself on. During the course of that day, the labourer threw the chunks of precious minerals to the merchant below, until the small cart groaned under the weight.
"Farewell!" echoed the rich man's voice.
"But how will I descend from here?"
The merchant laughed. "That isn't my problem. You are the hundredth man to be on that summit and all your predecessors perished. I hope you do the same."
Black crows circled above the poor fellow, similar to the dark thoughts clouding his mind. In that frame of mind, he thought of the one pleasant thing to have happened to him recently - the meeting with the kind daughter. He retrieved the stone and flint. Without a second thought, he struck it together, causing two beings to appear before him.
"What is your wish?" they said.
"I want to get off this mountain."
Without preamble, he was spirited away and found himself standing, once again, in front of his home.
After a long time, the merchant's son returned to his profligate ways and was standing on the spot at the bazaar, his shovel in his hands.
A familiar gilded carriage trundled through the street and all the labourers dived into side streets. The rich merchant poked his head through, not recognizing his former employee.
"Come work for me!"
The young man said, "For 200 rubles I will."
Events proceeded very similar to the previous occasion. The duo reached the golden mountain's midway point and the rich merchant produced a bottle and announced they should drink, but the young man interjected.
"It would be improper for me to drink. Allow me to give you a present of wine."
The rich merchant gulped down the beverage but unbeknownst to him, the young man had mixed a sleeping formula into his gift, and the older man started to snore before too long.
 |
| Illustration by C.M. Gere. |
The rich merchant awoke on the summit. He had no other option but to obey the merchant's son, and so started dug out the gold and throw it down. Near day's end, the man had filled twelve carts full of gold.
"Thank you for your efforts, dear merchant!"
"Please help me escape from here," the man entreated.
"A merciless man once told me that 99 men had met their fate on that outcrop. It seems fate destined you to be the hundredth."
Realization dawned on the merchant's red face. Despite all of his power and wealth, he was powerless to stop the young man from walking away.
The young fellow returned to the golden palace. He was embraced by the rich man's daughter and showered with affection. The radiant beauty would become his wife and they were able to live out the rest of their days without worry. Never once did he visit the bazaar again.
Thank you for reading!
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