500 Words 2024/25: read a finalist's story from the 5-7 category

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This story was chosen as a top 50 finalist for 500 Words 2024/25.

Remember, spelling, punctuation and grammar are not taken into account for a 500 Words story, therefore all the top 50 stories have been published how they were submitted.

The Farm With a Heart of Gold by Florence M.C.

A few years ago a terrible drought made the people in Sun Valley struggle to keep their farms going.

Among these people there was a small farmyard where Rose, the owner, raised sheep, pigs, chickens, and a few cows. She made money by selling eggs, cheese, milk and meat.

Not so lucky was the family next door. Bianca, mother of 2 young girls, ran the farm with her husband Oswald, they were struggling a lot without water.

Bianca had taken care of Rose when Rose's parents died in an accident 5 years before when Rose was not even 15. Bianca taught Rose how to tend to the animals, and the farm and how to survive. Rose had grown exceptionally fond of Bianca and her family since.

One morning one of Rose's sheep left something small and shiny covered in mud on the front porch.

Rose took the rock and cleaned it under the well pump, the mud gone, the rock sparkled like gold. "It cannot be!" thought Rose. While in the field to investigate, she stumbled across a rift where several other rocks and larger pieces of gold half covered in mud could be seen. Rose could not believe her luck, she had a gold mine in her land!

She hurried out to the nearby town where she sold a nugget to the local jeweller. Rose had now a large pocketful of banknotes. Her mind raced for the excitement and already was thinking of giving a large chunk of it to Bianca to help her.

"Bianca will never accept charity, she is very proud" Rose thought. She then had a crazy idea! She collected a few more gold nuggets from the field, brought them to the jeweller to be made in a small egg, and then went to buy a goose from the market.

She then went straight to Bianca's. "Could you please take care of this goose for me, Bianca?" Asked Rose after a while. " I'm very busy and cannot do it!". Bianca agreed and the two parted with a hug.

The following morning Oswald went to check on the goose and, to his incredible surprise, a small golden egg was resting on the goose's seat. Bianca and Oswald, having recovered from the surprise, immediately called Rose to tell her the incredible news. Bianca offered the egg to Rose since she owned the goose but Rose refused saying that the love and care of Bianca and Oswald created that magnificent jewel, so it was also hers. From then on, every week, a new golden egg would appear under the goose.

Bianca and Rose agreed to share their luck with the other people living in the valley, they used the gold to build a water tank to collect water for the valley and to share it with all the other farmers, and helped everyone in need to get back to their feet, the love and kindness of Bianca and Rose made the valley thrive again.

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