A Rambling Goblin

There once was a young Goblin who worked very hard on the small piece of land his Goblin family owned. He had food to eat and a place to sleep but not much else. Still he considered himself lucky and rarely complained. Then one day a well dressed Goblin came to his town telling stories about other Goblins in a town over the hills: "They have riches beyond imagination because they worked very hard. If you, too, work hard you could become a Rich Goblin. Come work for me and you'll see." The young Goblin signed up immediately and went off to work for the man.

Being a hardworking Goblin he worked long days and while the well-dressed Goblin did pay him he also took a share out for his lodging, another for his food, and another for his ale. At the end of the day the young Goblin had a few coins in his pocket which he saved in a small sack under his pillow.

After some years the purse had grown enough and the young Goblin set off for home. On his way he crested a hill and saw below an expanse of beautiful homes next to a shimmering sea. He stood in awe of the sight and had a splendid idea. As he walked the path down to the magnificent town he jingled the coins in his purse. He had worked hard, most certainly, and he could probably afford a splendid home just as the well-dressed Goblin had described.

He went to the center of town and, thirsty from his walk, stopped in a small pub for a drink and a meal. When he inquired as to the sum he noticed with shock that it amounted to much more than he has supposed. "If a meal costs this much, how much would a house be?!?" he wondered. Still, he was an optimistic Goblin and right after that thought came another, "These Goblins much know a secret to hard work that I do not. I will ask them how they became rich so that I might also."

Looking around the pub he noticed a Goblin in a fine jacket drinking a bottle of expensive-looking wine. "Excuse me," the young Goblin said, "May I ask, how did you become a rich Goblin."

The Goblin turned to him with a questioning glance, "What do you mean?"

"I was told that if I work hard I can become a rich Goblin, what kind of work do you do to wear such fine clothes and drink such fine wine?"

"Well, my mother was a rich Goblin, and her mother was a rich Goblin, and her mother was a rich Goblin. So I am a rich Goblin."

The young Goblin was puzzled, "So you didn't work hard?"

"Heavens, no. No one does that nowadays."

The young Goblin thanked her and left the pub, his purse felt lighter and emptier than just the few coins he had parted with.