Jewel of the Heart

The miner up in the mountains once mined for fine jewels and gold, searching for the most precious jewel of all. He mined away day and night in search of his treasure in the hope of finding his fortune at last. Then one day, as he drove in his pick axe into the cliff wall, out came the most marvelous shining jewel he had ever seen. He had found his jewel of fortune at last. ‘Surely this is the most precious jewel of all’ He said to himself. He went to the jeweler in town who bought the stone off him for a handsome price, the jeweler marveled at the beauty of it and said to himself,’Surely I have never seen a stone as fine as this. It must be the most precious jewel of all. After he had cut and polished it to perfection, he went and sold it to the local jewelry store, who put it on proud display in the shop window with a notice saying ‘The finest jewel of all. A stone without price.’ The jewel had heard all this talk about himself and said ‘Surely there is no greater jewel than me, for see what a fuss they all make at the mere sight of me.’ And he was very pleased with himself and shone on with pride and glory for all to see. One day a rich man came into the jewelry store and said to the man ‘I want the finest stone of all.’ The man sold him the great jewel at a great price and the rich man went home well pleased. Only the best would for the lady of his heart. He put it in the dressing table, and when his wife came home that evening he gave it to as token of his great love for her saying ‘Your heart is my greatest treasure.’ And hung the stone about her neck on a silver chain. ‘So, it seems that I am not the finest jewel of all after all. I wish that I too had heart of gold so that I would know what it feels like to be loved too.’ And then he sighed to himself and said to the fair lady’s precious heart lying beside him, ‘Well at least I have to most beautiful of hearts to lay beside even though I might not be the greatest jewel of all myself.’ True love is the greatest treasure of all after all.