ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel Smile and Learn English The Golden Coin – A story about the value of honesty – Version without text
Once upon a time, in a bustling medieval market, a young boy named Sam was on a mission. His father had given him a few coins to buy food for their family. The market was full of people selling all sorts of things like cloth, jewels, and delicious food.
Sam approached a stall and said, “I’d like some bread and five eggs, please.” The vendor replied, “That will be eight coins, young man.” Sam handed over all the coins he had because his family was poor, and this was all they could afford.
As Sam was about to leave, he noticed an old man in a red robe with a cane. Something shiny fell from the man’s pocket—it was a golden coin! Sam picked it up and thought about all the things he could buy with it. But deep down, he knew he had to do the right thing.
Sam ran up to the old man and said, “Excuse me, sir, you dropped this coin.” The old man smiled and said, “Thank you. You did the right thing. Can I ask you for a favor? I need to deliver this letter to the palace, but I’m too tired. Could you take it for me? Remember, you mustn’t open it.”
Sam agreed and took the letter. To reach the palace, he had to cross a dark forest.
As Sam walked through the forest, he came across the Fountain of Temptations. There was a statue that could speak. “Hello there! What’s in the letter?” the statue asked.
“I don’t know. I promised not to open it,” Sam replied.
“It could be a treasure map or a magical potion recipe. Why not take a peek?” the statue suggested.
Sam was curious, but he remembered his promise. He decided not to open the letter and continued on his journey.
Finally, Sam reached the royal palace and met the king. “Welcome, Sam. I believe you have a message for me,” the king said.
“Yes, your majesty. The old man told me it was very important,” Sam replied, handing over the unopened letter.
The king was pleased. “Sam, you have shown great honesty by returning the coin and keeping your promise. I have no children, and I need someone honest to take my place. I hereby name you my heir. You will be the new king.”
Sam’s honesty and kindness led him to a wonderful reward. He learned that doing the right thing, even when it’s hard, can lead to great things. Remember, being honest and keeping promises is always important!
If you enjoyed this story and want to learn more, check out more adventures on the Smile and Learn channel!
Role-Playing Honesty: Gather a few friends or family members and act out the story of Sam and the golden coin. Take turns playing different characters like Sam, the old man, and the statue. After the role-play, discuss how it felt to make honest choices and why honesty is important. Think about a time when you had to make an honest decision and share it with the group.
Honesty Jar: Create an “Honesty Jar” at home. Every time you or a family member makes an honest choice, write it down on a piece of paper and put it in the jar. At the end of the week, read all the notes together and celebrate the honest actions. Discuss how these actions made you feel and how they affected others around you.
Observation Walk: Go on a walk around your neighborhood or a park with an adult. Look for examples of honesty in everyday life, like someone returning a lost item or helping others. Take notes or draw pictures of what you see. When you get home, talk about how these acts of honesty make the community a better place and how you can contribute to it.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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Sam went to the market. His dad gave him a few coins to buy food. There were also people selling cloth and jewels.
“I’d like some bread and five eggs, please.”
“That will be eight coins, young man.”
That was all he had because his family was poor. His two younger sisters and his mother could eat that. Sam looked at the old man in front of him. He was wearing a red robe and had a cane. He saw something fall from his pocket. It was a golden coin.
The Middle Ages were a historical period that began with the fall of the Roman Empire and ended with the discovery of the Americas or the invention of the printing press. Medieval cities were characterized by having a castle, big walls, and fortresses.
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Sam picked up the coin and thought of all the things he could buy with it. When he saw the butcher, he asked, “Would you like a bit of meat? A chicken, maybe?”
Sam didn’t know what to say. He looked at the people selling blankets. His mother needed a blanket. Was that the right thing to do, though? Something was telling him no.
In medieval markets, townspeople could buy and trade food, grains, spices, fabrics, jewels, and much more. Peasants sold goods from the fields and animals. There were also activities like music, theater, and painting.
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Sam made a decision. He ran up to the old man and called to him, “Excuse me, sir, you dropped this coin.”
“Thank you. You did the right thing. Can I ask you for a favor? I have to bring this letter to the palace, but I’m very old and very tired. Could you take it? You mustn’t open it.”
Sam nodded yes and took the letter. To get to the palace, he’d have to cross the forest.
Walls were constructions made of stone to protect cities and castles. They were also used to separate territories or to make borders. They had watchtowers built to watch out for any enemies trying to climb over the walls.
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A castle is a kind of construction that was very characteristic of the Middle Ages. They were protected by walls and sometimes by a surrounding moat. Kings and nobles lived there. Castles also had a military function to defend cities.
The forest was dark. Sam approached the Fountain of Temptations. There, there was a statue that could speak.
“I’m sorry, I hadn’t seen you. I’m in a hurry; I have to take this letter to the royal palace.”
“That’s so interesting! What does the letter say?”
“I don’t know. They told me I can’t open it.”
“It must be very important. It could be a treasure map or the ingredients for a potion to cure a disease. Why don’t you open it?”
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What if the statue was right? The letter could be the solution to problems. Sam decided to open the envelope. Suddenly, the letter burst into flames; he couldn’t read it.
The old man appeared at his side. He was sad. “I’m sorry. The statue tricked me, and I opened the letter.”
“That letter would have given you a big surprise. What a shame. You’re not the person I was looking for.”
Since Sam had given him back the coin, the old man gave him some food as a reward. Even so, he went home sad because he felt he had failed.
Sam looked at the letter and decided not to open it. He had given the old man his word. He continued along his path until he reached the royal palace.
He went to see the king.
“Welcome, Sam. I believe you have a message for me.”
“Yes, your majesty. The old man told me it was very important.”
The king took the letter from Sam and was very pleased because Sam had kept his promise not to open the envelope.
“Sam, I am an old king and have no children. I have been searching for someone good and honest like you. You are that person. I hereby name you my heir. You will be the new king.”
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Sam was a good and honest boy. He demonstrated it by giving the old man back the coin and by delivering the letter to the king in a closed envelope, just like he promised.
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This version removes any unnecessary or repetitive elements while maintaining the essence of the story.
