(1862)
There was once a shilling, which came forth from the mint springing and
shouting, “Hurrah! now I am going out into the wide world.” And truly it
did go out into the wide world. The children held it with warm hands, the
miser with a cold and convulsive grasp, and the old people turned it about,
goodness knows how many times, while the young people soon allowed it
to roll away from them. The shilling was made of silver, it contained very
little copper, and considered itself quite out in the world when it had been
circulated for a year in the country in which it had been coined. One day, it
really did go out into the world, for it belonged to a gentleman who was
about to travel in foreign lands. This gentleman was not aware that the
shilling lay at the bottom of his purse when he started, till he one day found
it between his fingers. “Why,” cried he, “here is a shilling from home; well,
it must go on its travels with me now!” and the shilling jumped and rattled
for joy, when it was put back again into the purse.
Here it lay among a number of foreign companions, who were always
coming and going, one taking the place of another, but the shilling from
home was always put back, and had to remain in the purse, which was
certainly a mark of distinction. Many weeks passed, during which the
shilling had travelled a long distance in the purse, without in the least
knowing where he was. He had found out that the other coins were French
and Italian; and one coin said they were in this town, and another said they
were in that, but the shilling was unable to make out or imagine what they
meant. A man certainly cannot see much of the world if he is tied up in a
bag, and this was really the shilling’s fate. But one day, as he was lying in
the purse, he noticed that it was not quite closed, and so he slipped near to
the opening to have a little peep into society. He certainly had not the least
idea of what would follow, but he was curious, and curiosity often brings its
