There was an old man who loved money very much.

There was an old man who loved money very much.

He had many gold coins.

He had many gold coins.

He did not want to spend any money.

He did not want to spend any money.

He did not buy good food or nice clothes.

He did not buy good food or nice clothes.

He only wanted to keep his gold.

He only wanted to keep his gold.

The old man was afraid someone would steal his gold.

The old man was afraid someone would steal his gold.

So he dug a hole in his garden.

So he dug a hole in his garden.

He put all his gold coins in the hole.

He put all his gold coins in the hole.

Then he covered it with dirt.

Then he covered it with dirt.

Every day, he went to the hole.

Every day, he went to the hole.

He dug up his gold and counted it.

He dug up his gold and counted it.

Then he put it back in the hole.

Then he put it back in the hole.

One day, a thief saw the old man.

One day, a thief saw the old man.

The thief watched him dig up the gold.

The thief watched him dig up the gold.

The thief waited until night.

The thief waited until night.

Then he went to the garden.

Then he went to the garden.

He dug up all the gold coins and took them away.

He dug up all the gold coins and took them away.

The next day, the old man went to his garden.

The next day, the old man went to his garden.

He dug in the hole, but his gold was gone!

He dug in the hole, but his gold was gone!

He cried and cried.

He cried and cried.

His neighbor heard him crying.

His neighbor heard him crying.

"What is wrong?"

"What is wrong?"

asked the neighbor.

asked the neighbor.

"Someone stole my gold!"

"Someone stole my gold!"

said the old man.

said the old man.

"Did you use the gold to buy things?"

"Did you use the gold to buy things?"

asked the neighbor.

asked the neighbor.

"No, never!"

"No, never!"

"I just looked at it every day,"

"I just looked at it every day,"

said the old man.

said the old man.

The neighbor picked up a stone.

The neighbor picked up a stone.

He put it in the hole.

He put it in the hole.

"Here,"

"Here,"

he said.

he said.

"This stone is the same as your gold."

"This stone is the same as your gold."

"You never spent the gold, so this stone will work just as well."

"You never spent the gold, so this stone will work just as well."