Gold Hearts Aren't Made of Gold
Long, long ago, in a kingdom nestled among the great mountains, there was a little village named Arkville. The village was known for its eternal spring, where cherry blossoms covered the ground throughout the year. Despite the charm, Arkville was filled with chronically unhappy people.
The root of their misery was the insatiable dragon, Zephyr – a great beast that craved gold more than anything else. Legend had it that Zephyr's heart was forged from fiery gold, forcing it to endure an eternal thirst for the precious metal. Consequently, Arkville paid a hefty toll of gold each month to keep the dragon at bay, crippling the livelihoods of the residents.
The villagers lived in fear and destitution, yearning for salvation. Their prayers were answered in the most unexpected form. Amidst the gloomy mood, a wandering minstrel named Alric arrived in Arkville. Alric, a man of quick wit and jovial temperament, effortlessly charmed the villagers with his soulful melodies. When he heard about Zephyr, the twinkle in Alric's eyes didn't diminish, but a plan formed instead.
Alric challenged Zephyr for a duel of wit and wisdom, promising to present the dragon with a river of gold if he lost, something that intrigued the creature. On the chosen day, their clash began, casting a spell over Arkville's usually serene ambience. Alric posed a riddle revolving around the essence of true happiness.
'I have no form, yet I can be powerful or gentle. I can push you or pull you. I'm invaluable, but you cannot buy, sell, or hold me. I can slip through your fingers, yet I can be within your grasp. What am I?'
Zephyr racked its brain pondering over the riddle but failed to gather the answer. As the sun dipped into the horizon, Alric revealed the answer – 'Happiness.' The importance of the answer echoed through the silent valley, as Zephyr lowered its head in defeat.
As promised, Alric revealed his treasure of gold. However, he mentioned that the gold only appears to those who let happiness into their lives rather than the pursuit of materialistic wealth. Zephyr, in its greed, failed to comprehend the message and lost the ability to see the gold. And, in a twist of faith, the villagers realized happiness was within them, and the 'river of gold' appeared.
Empathy filled Alric's heart seeing Zephyr's state. He taught Zephyr how happiness from within was the true treasure. Zephyr struggled initially but slowly opened its heart. Over time, happiness replaced Zephyr's gold-lust, causing the golden heart to beat rhythmically, signifying inner peace. Zephyr released the villagers from its tyrant grip, and Arkville thrived in unprecedented prosperity.
Alric's wisdom, tact, and compassion transformed Arkville and its terrorizer, making everyone realize that the true treasure was indeed uncontainable, palpable happiness. And from then on, Arkville was known not only for its eternal spring but also for eternally happy habitants, and a dragon that sang the melodies of mirth.