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Story 135: Innkeeper Steals Gold Coins Folktales 

Innkeeper Steals Gold Coins Folktales 

Author: Anonymous

Once upon a time, there was an old couple who opened an inn on the roadside. A small businessman living in the hotel wanted to go to the mountains to worship Buddha, so he left a bag of highland barley with the old couple. The businessman also had three gold coins, which he was afraid of losing if he took them with him, so he put them in the highland barley bag.

After some time, the old man said, “Oh, it’s time we made highland barley wine?” The old woman said, “I’m sorry, the highland barley has been used up.”

“Didn’t the little businessman also store a bag? I’ll pay it back to him when he comes back.” The old man was so greedy that he had no choice but to come up with this idea.

The old woman poured the highland barley into the “Gapou” to make wine. Suddenly, a bell rang, and three yellow gold coins rolled out of the highland barley. The old couple were both stunned. The old man said: “Quick!” quick! Hurry up and hide the gold coins, put the highland barley into the bag, and put it in its original place! ”

“What should we do if the small businessmen make trouble?” The old woman was a little afraid.

“Idiot!” the old man scolded: “As long as the two of us don’t admit our fault, even the devil can’t do anything about it.”

After some days, the small businessman came back and couldn’t find three gold coins in the highland barley, so he went to ask the old couple. The old couple said, “Put your highland barley in the corner. Let’s not say it hasn’t been touched. We haven’t even looked at it. I don’t know what gold or silver coins it is!”

The small businessman had no choice but to take the case to “Chengkang”. In front of the judge, the small businessman said that the old couple had stolen his gold coins. The old couple said that he had slandered good people. He also said: “There are thousands of people who have lived in our store. This is the first time I have met someone like you.” Unreasonable merchant!”

The judge said: “You are arguing like this, and I have no choice. I can only let you all suffer a little punishment.” After saying that, he pushed out two large wooden boxes from the inside and asked the small businessmen to carry one on their backs, and walked along the village from left to Make a circle to the right; ask the old man to memorize it and make a circle from right to left.

The old man was so tired carrying the box that he had to put it down for a rest and said, “Oh, this box is crushing my bones! Old woman, come and carry it for me!” The old woman said: ” Shut up! It’s because you said you took the gold coins that even the devil didn’t know, that’s why you ended up like this!”

Besides, the small businessman was exhausted and sweating profusely after walking for a while carrying the box on his back. As he walked, he sighed and said, “Oh! I trusted these two shopkeepers, so I put the gold coins in the barley. I didn’t expect them to be such unconscionable people!”

The old couple and the small businessman carried boxes and returned to “Chengkang” one after another. In front of them, the judge opened the box on the spot and walked out of the box two young men of seventeen or eighteen years old. The young man told the story exactly what he heard on the road. The innkeeper had no choice but to return the gold coins to the small businessman.

Narrated by: Shigatse Middle School Cidan
Collected in July 1979
Compiled in February 1982