Quickly Profit

This history has occured very long time ago on joint XVI-XVII of centuries at southeast coast of Baltic sea. In one anonymous fishing small village there lived the master by name Martin. Its craft has not been connected with fishing, it did buttons. Martin made them of different materials which to it were given with the nature. It did good buttons from different, and sometimes, and of rare breeds of wood. Buttons turned out excellent.

Also Martin used in the manufacture small sea stones, millenia ground by water elements. Buttons left different colors, and the some people, appear, contained any freakish figures. Martin well knew the business and always exchanged for the goods all necessary for a life. But was at Martin and the unique goods which allocated it among other masters of this edge.

Once Martin on seacoast has found a small transparent fulvous stone. It was at all a stone, and easier material. Martin has named this stone "Gold clay". It has appeared amber. From amber at the master the fine button has turned out, the material in Martin's hands was especially pliable. The master liked to work with it. Martin began a thicket to find gold clay.

On a fast trip on fair the master has got acquainted with the Chinese merchant who liked buttons from amber. Now Martin exchanged for the goods not only meal and things, but also received coins. Very quickly profit has carried away it. The master has ceased to use stones and a tree in the work, and also has forgotten about other orders and buyers. Martin has solved, that gold clay will make for it quickly profit, and, having left the forgotten small village, it can buy to himself position in a city society. All to that also went.

The Chinese merchant gave the master of twice more money if Martin did buttons with front sights or bugs inside. Quickly profit on sale of amber buttons has filled cascet the master in whom earlier Martin stored the tools. The master has ceased to be interested in a life around, it collected amber, did of it buttons, exchanged them for coins and put money in cascet. Neighbours on a small village certainly about all have learned. Firstly they tried to help to not become reserved to Martin, but have then understood, how quickly profit has ruined to its shower.

In two years after the master has got acquainted with a merchant, the Chinese was gone. Martin could not know, that a merchant court yard in other country where the Chinese stayed, has been plundered, and the Chinese is killed. The master long and without results went on fair, but the merchant and was not. In a month from a mental derangement Martin was ill and could not work more. When people have found out a dead body of the master in its house were amazed to in what poverty Martin with full cascet coins has died. Quickly profit has ruined the person. (RUS)

Ilya Koutsarev
07.09.02