All Glitters Are Not Gold

“All Glitters Are Not Gold” is one of the outstanding stories of the first biannual International Short Story Contest 2018 written by Rashmi Sinha, Usha Martin World School, Patna, India.

All Glitters Are Not Gold

Once there was a boy named Raju. He was so brave and smart. But he always thought that all glittering things in the world are very precious like Gold. On a night he was standing in the balcony in his house and looking towards the sky. It was looking so beautiful and attractive. Suddenly, he saw that some sparkling thing is falling down on the earth from the sky. He became so excited to know that what it was? He eagerly waited till the morning. With the first rays of the Sun, he got ready and ran towards the Jungle at that place where the thing fell down at night. After some time, he reached at that place. He started searching for that precious thing. After some time he saw that something is sparking behind the big tree. He picked that precious stone from the ground and became so happy. He came back to home and called all his friends to show them that what he found in the jungle. Raju told all his friends that how lucky he was. God choose only him for this gift. He felt so proud on himself.

One day he thought to sell it in the market and he could get a very high price for that stone. He started dreaming that when he got too much money he became so rich and he could leave like a King. He could buy so many toys, chocolates, biscuits, etc. He has also a big house, where so many servants are available to do his home works, to carry his school bag to the school in a very large car. Everybody will follow his orders and salute him as an emperor. He again became so happy and gone to bed waiting for the morning. Next day he woke up early in the morning. He got ready and reached a big Jewellary Shop. But he saw that the shop is closed till now. He asked nearby shop, that when it will be opened? The shopkeeper said that it is too early son, it opens after 10’Oclock and now it’s only 8 O’clock. So, you have to wait for next two hours. Now Raju have to wait for the next two hours. For Raju that two hours looked like two years that was not passing. Well, after two hours the shopkeeper came and opened the shop. Raju felt very relax. He went to shop and said, “Hello uncle!” The shopkeeper also replied, “Raju, Hello Son!” Then the shopkeeper asked Raju that what did he want to purchase from his shop? Raju gave him a small smile and said that he had nothing to purchase but to sale something. The shopkeeper become so surprised and asked him that what did he want to sale? Raju took out his precious stone and show it to the shopkeeper. He took the stone from the hands of Raju and started watching it very carefully. Raju told him that it was so precious which nobody have, except him. After some time the shopkeeper started laughing and asked Raju that from where did he find it? He replied that God gifted him from the sky. The shopkeeper thought for a moment and then said, look Raju this is not any kind of precious stone. It is just only an ordinary stone. It is a priceless thing. But you are a good boy so I will give you Rs. 50/- for this. Raju became so shocked by hearing the shopkeeper’s words. He can’t believe his ears that what he was saying to him. He could not utter any single word from his mouth. He quickly took that Rs.50/- from the shopkeeper and came out from the shop and walked on the way to his house. In the mid way he sat on a big rock on the side of the road and started crying by holding his head in his hands. He was feeling shameful on his foolishness. He was thinking that what will he told to his friends, all of them will make fun of him. He was feeling so guilty on himself and his prideful behavior.

Suddenly he saw that his class teacher was passing on that way. He saw Raju with red eyes full with tears. He asked him, “What happened? Why are you crying like this?” Raju told him the entire story. His class teacher gave him a smile and said to him, “Raju my son don’t cry and take it as a lesson in your life that all glitters are not gold. There are so many things in this world that is glittering but all are not precious.” He make Raju sit in his laps and again he started to tell him, “Raju today I want to give you a lesson that, like all this stone humans have also the quality of Gold. Here the gold means not the metal but their pure soul which was also leave inside our body. A person who has a pure soul inside him and he has always a sparkles in his eyes and on his face. He was always a hard working person, always giving respect to his elders and love to youngsters. He will get success in his life by his dedication and hard labour. So, you don’t think that you will not get the money. You can get this by making your soul pure and achieving success in your life by studying hard. That will be the real gold.” Rau was listening very carefully to his teacher’s word. Now he understood the real meaning of gold and he promised his teacher that he will work hard to achieve a successful target in his life and make everyone proud on himself.

Moral :- We learn from this story that we should not run after other precious thing, but we should develop that precious quality in ourselves with our hard work and dedication. That will be the real gold.