Terrance's Transformation: The Goldsmith and The Wizard🔊

In the small town of Osera, nestled at the foot of towering mountains, shrouded in blankets of verdant pines, lived a goldsmith named Terrance. His gold jewelry was the best in town, earning him fame and fortune. However, his pride outmatched his talent, and it brought him bitterness over the joy that his craft crafted.

One day, a beggar hobbled into the town, his clothes tattered, a weary expression etching deep lines on his face. In his hand, he clutched a small box. The villagers watched the stranger with intrigue, and they looked at his box with a spark of intrigue.

The stranger made his way straight to Terrance's store. Once inside, he handed the box to Terrance, revealing the most beautiful and magnificent piece of uncut stone anyone ever saw. It shimmered under the store’s light, its core seemed filled with galaxies. The stranger spoke, 'Make the most beautiful piece of jewelry with this and I promise you wealth beyond your dreams. But remember Terrance, kindness and humility fetch more than pride and arrogance.'

Terrance was not convinced by his words. He was sure this was a trick to make a fool of him, or probably a penniless stranger seeking for help. Nevertheless, he took the stone, locking it away in the safe with a smug smile. He decided to ignore it, finding solace in his arrogant sophistication.

Weeks passed before Terrance looked at the stone again. Allured by its beauty, he finally decided to craft it into a necklace, rendering it to the most beautiful piece of jewelry Osera had ever seen. When he sold that necklace, it indeed brought him wealth, just as the stranger promised. However, Terrance’s pride and arrogance grew with his wealth.

Life in Osera went on as usual until the stranger returned. He looked at Terrance and said, 'I see wealth has found you. Tell me, Terrance, has your pride reduced and humility increased?' To which, Terrance, bolstered by arrogance, laughed a hollow laugh and said, 'I am just as I have always been.'

Disappointment simmered in the stranger's eyes. He closed his eyes, whispered something, and a sudden storm blew over. When all fell silent again, Terrance's precious gold and jewelry had turned to mere rocks and pebbles. The spell of glamour was broken.

Terrance was dumbfounded. He whimpered, asked for forgiveness and pleaded for a second chance. To this, the stranger, who revealed himself as a wizard in disguise, said, 'Learn to be humble, Terrance, and kindness will bring you more fortune than you can imagine.'

With a heavy heart, Terrance began mending his prudence. He offered service without expecting anything in return. His labor and humility, eventually, turned him into a far richer man than he had been, not just in wealth, but in character as well.

The story of Terrance spread far and wide and even reached the wizard. He visited Osera one last time, rewarding Terrance with a final gift - a small box containing another stone - as beautiful as the first. Terrance looked at the stranger and said, 'Your teachings are the real treasure, kind sir. The stone is just a stone.'

With a smile of delight, the wizard disappeared, and Terrance lived the rest of his days, a humble and revered goldsmith of Osera. His tale echoed through the ages, a lesson in humility and kindness to everyone who heard it.