In This BarkMinder Newsletter
- From Mark
- Quick Plug
- Story
- Tour Dates
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From Mark
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One week to go. In a little over seven days, the world as we know it will change. If one candidate wins, it will go one way. If another candidate wins, it will go a different way.
For now, we hold our breath. We grumble and wait. And wonder. And hope.
Regardless of who you choose, please vote. Even if you walk in and cast a blank ballot, vote. If you don’t want to vote, vote anyway. If you object to voting, then do something to change the system.
Note to Rhode Islanders: If you are not registered to vote, you may go to your city hall (or in Providence to the “Dunkin Donuts Center”) to same-day register and cast a vote for President only. (No voting on referendums or other candidates.)
As you know, I’m rarely moralistic in my stories. This one, however, seems timely. It is from the original Bed Time Story Collection. If the recent banking collapse had happened a while ago, it probably would have been included in the new edition. As it is, this is a BarkMinder newsletter exclusive.
Have an excellent week, and we’ll be in touch after it’s over…
- Mark
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Quick Plug Before the Story
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I have four new books out this year:
– It Ate My Sister (ages 8-13 and up)
– The Bed Time Story Book (ages 4-7 and parents)
– The Brothers Schlemiel (a novel)
– A Hanukkah Present (all ages and families)
One or all of them are bound to make you (or someone you know) happy.
Bonus: If you buy all four, I’ll throw in a present!
Subscriber Specials are at http://www.markbinder.com/specials/
Also, if you’d like to invite me to come to speak, teach or perform at your school, social or religious organization or favorite theater, please get in touch with my alter ego, Beth Hellman via email: beth@markbinder.com
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The Story
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“The Boy and the Gold Pieces”
by Mark Binder
From “The Everything Bedtime Story Book”
Copyright 2008, all rights reserved.
[Based loosely on Aesop's "The Boy and the Chestnuts."]
Many years ago in a land far away from here lived a boy who was very very poor. His father had no job, and his mother had no job. Sometimes, when the father got work, they would eat beans. Sometimes when the mother got work, they would eat bread, but it was only rarely that the mother and father found work at the same time. And then, the boy was left in charge of his five brothers and sisters.
One afternoon, the boy decided that he would find a job and make enough money for his entire family to live for many many years.
He had heard that in the big city there were many opportunities for people to make money, so he traveled there. It was a long and difficult trip. He had to walk the whole way, and by the time he arrived he was very hungry. But he did not have any money. His clothes were old and tattered, and he was very very dirty.
Everyone in the city walked past him as if he did not exist. They ignored him or, if they did see him, quickly turned away.
At last, a young girl, not much older than the boy, came up and gave him a copper.
“No,” the boy said. “I will not take this.”
“Why not?” asked the girl.
“I am not a beggar,” the boy said. “I have come to the city to make my fortune. My family is very hungry, and I would like to find work to support them.”
The girl thought this was wonderful, and she clapped her hands together. “I know just the right person you should meet,” she said. “Come with me.”
She led him through the streets of the crowded city until they came to a large building. It had stone columns and a pair of heavy brass doors.
“Surely you are not going to arrest me,” the boy cried. He thought the building was a jail.
“No no,” laughed the girl. “This is the bank where my father works. He will certainly help you get a job.”
She led him inside, and all at once the boy was amazed. Never had he seen ceilings so high. And the ceilings were painted with pictures of factories and farms. On the walls were portraits of imposing looking men. One whole wall had a bank of tellers, people who sat behind tall glass windows, and took deposits and cashed checks.
“Follow me,” the girl said.
The boy followed, very conscious of the shabbiness of his clothing, and the dirt that he still wore from his travels.
Finally, the girl led him into a large room with deep red carpeting. Inside was a very imposing man. He looked just like all the other men in the portraits on the walls. He had white hair and big bushy side burns. His mustache drooped, and his mouth seemed to be frozen in a perpetual scowl.
But he smiled when he saw the girl, and he laughed softly when she gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“Father,” said the girl, “this boy has traveled a long way because he wants to get a job. I offered him a copper, but he said that he would not beg. He wants to work. He has a large family that is very poor and he would like to support them.”
The father’s scowl returned. “Do you know who I am?” he asked.
“No, sir,” said the boy.
“Well, he’s polite at least,” thought the father.
Then he said, “I am the president of this bank. I understand that you want a job.”
“Oh, yes, sir,” said the boy, his face brightening. “Please, I would like a job. I may not look like much, but I can read and I can count, and I can follow directions and…”
“Slow down,” said the father. “First I have a test for you. Come with me.”
The man stood up, and the boy followed him into a little back room.
The old man showed him a table that held a beautiful crystal pitcher that was nearly filled with gold pieces. The boy’s eyes widened in amazement. He had never seen so many gold pieces in his entire life. One gold piece would feed his family for two months. The pitcher itself might give them food enough for ten or twenty years!
“You may take as many gold pieces as you can hold in your hand,” said the Old Man.
The boy raced to the pitcher, and reached his hand in.
He grabbed as many gold pieces as he could possibly hold, but when he tried to pull his hand out, he found it was stuck in the neck of the pitcher.
He immediately burst into tears. A handful of gold coins would feed his family for a long time, and he did not want to let go.
Then he realized something. If he broke the pitcher all the coins would spill out, but he could still hold onto the ones he had.
He lifted the pitcher up high above the table. Perhaps he would cut himself, but any pain would be worth it to help his family.
Then, just as he was about to send the pitcher crashing down on the table he stopped himself. One by one, he let go of the gold pieces. At last, sadly, he removed his hand from the neck of the pitcher, completely empty.
“You know,” said the girl’s father, “if you had been satisfied with only half a handful you could have withdrawn your hand easily.”
“Yes,” said the boy, “but I did not come here to beg, nor to receive charity.”
The boy picked up the crystal pitcher with one hand, and poured gold pieces into his other hand. “I came here to show you that I was smart and could work for you,” he said. He looked at the gold pieces in his hand, and then one by one dropped them back into the crystal pitcher.
The old man looked very pleased. “No, no, don’t put them all back.”
“I won’t take charity, sir,” said the boy.
“Then consider that gold piece an advance against your pay,” the man said. “I can’t have my youngest clerk looking like a ragamuffin.”
The boy was overjoyed! He worked hard and sent money back to his family, and all of his brothers and sisters and mother and father came to live with him in the city. Then, when he was old enough, he married the old man’s daughter. In time, he became the manager and eventually the president of the bank.
If you go down to the bank, perhaps you will see his portrait hanging on the wall. He is the one who doesn’t frown quite as much as all the others.
The End.
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Copyright 2008 by Mark Binder
All Rights Reserved
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Note
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The Aesop’s Fable of “The Boy and the Chestnuts” ends with the boy’s hand stuck in the vase and the admonition, “Do not attempt too much at once.” I think this version ends in a much more satisfying way.
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Quick Reminder After the Story
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Subscriber Specials are at http://www.markbinder.com/specials/
You’ll get four books (3 paper and one hardcover ) for $50, plus a bonus present!
– It Ate My Sister (ages 8-13 and up)
– The Bed Time Story Book (ages 4-7 and parents)
– The Brothers Schlemiel (a novel)
– A Hanukkah Present (all ages and families)
One or all of them are bound to make you (or someone you know) happy.
Subscriber Specials are at http://www.markbinder/com/specials/
Also, if you’d like to invite me to come to speak, teach or perform at your school, social or religious organization or favorite theater, please get in touch with my alter ego, Beth Hellman via email: beth@markbinder.com
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Tour Calendar
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Wednesday Oct 29, 2008 2:30pm It Ate My Book signing at the Gordon School -
Thursday Oct 30, 2008 12pm Silly Stories and Tall Tales’ at Milestones, Waltham, MA
Friday Oct 31, 2008 1:30pm ‘Spooky Stories’ at Rocky Hill School , East Greenwich, RI -
Friday Nov 7, 2008 10am ‘Silly Stories and Omakase: Many Cultures/Many Tales’ at Nathan Hale School, Meriden, CT
Sunday Nov 9, 2008 1pm ‘Life in Chelm’ Leventhal-Sidman JCC , 333 Nahanton Street, Newton, MA
Wednesday Nov 12, 2008 11am Starship Adventure at Your Library - SEMLS Showcase, Normandin Middle School in New Bedford, MA - New Bedford,
MA
Thursday Nov 13, 2008 10:30am ‘Autumn Tales’ at Little Red Hen Preschool, Warwick, RI -
Saturday Nov 15, 2008 12pm Book signing
Tuesday Nov 18, 2008 6:30pm Posoc Stories’ at Gordon School
Wednesday Nov 19, 2008 9am Stories Making/Telling’ at Carlos Pacheco School, New Bedford, MA
12:10pm Silly Stories and Tall Tales’ at Hayden-McFadden Elementary
School
Thursday Nov 20, 2008 6pm Thursday, 11/20: Family Night Book Signing’ at Nayatt School , 400 Nayatt Road , Barrington, RI at 6pm
Friday Nov 21, 2008 10am Wolf Stories (and Tall Tales) at Wolf School, East
Providence, RI
Tuesday Dec 2, 2008 6pm ‘Book Signing and Discussion’ at Borders Books - Providence Place Mall, Providence, RI
More to come. Visit http://www.markbinder.com/tour for all dates.