The Golden Arm
The Golden Arm — an illustrated tales story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Tales.
Page 1
In a realm carved from gemstone and echoing with subterranean rivers lived three souls: Elara, the gem cutter, driven by a yearning for beauty; Gareth, her husband, ensnared by the glint of gold; and the River Witch, guardian of the caverns' secrets. Their tale, whispered among the crystalline walls, speaks of desire and the price of earthly treasures. It begins with a wish, a golden arm, and a river's haunting memory, promising wealth beyond measure but demanding a terrible toll. Elara's quiet sorrow echoed through the gemstone tunnels, a prelude to the tempest brewing within their fragile sanctuary.
Page 2
Elara traced the facets of a ruby, her brow furrowed.
Page 3
One evening, a storm raged above, its fury echoing through the tunnels. A cold draft snaked through their dwelling, carrying with it the River Witch's whisper.
Page 4
The River Witch extended a skeletal hand. "For a golden arm, capable of bending metal and finding gems, you must offer... a limb of equal value." Gareth hesitated only a moment, glancing at Elara, who shook her head in silent terror. "Done!" he roared, seizing the River Witch's hand. A searing pain ripped through his body. He looked down to see his left arm shimmering, transforming into solid gold.
Page 5
With his golden arm, Gareth unearthed gem veins beyond their wildest dreams. Gold flowed into their coffers, but his touch grew cold, his laughter hollow. "More, Elara, more! This is just the beginning," he'd bellow, smashing through rock with unnatural force. Elara, watching him descend further into madness, cried, "Gareth, please! This gold... it's changing you. You are not the man I married."
Page 6
One day, while tunneling deeper than ever before, Gareth triggered a cave-in. Rock and debris rained down. "Gareth!" Elara screamed, scrambling through the collapsing tunnel. Gareth, pinned beneath a massive boulder, his golden arm gleaming uselessly, cried, "Elara, help me! I can't move it!" The River Witch's voice echoed through the chaos. "Remember the sacrifice, Gareth. Every gift... demands a price."
Page 7
Elara strained against the boulder, but it wouldn't budge. Despair washed over her. "I can't, Gareth! It's too heavy!" Gareth, his face contorted with pain and terror, gasped, "Remember... the witch... she said... a limb of equal value..." He looked at his golden arm, then at Elara. "Elara... cut it off! Save yourself! Please Elara, I beg you!"
Page 8
Tears streaming down her face, Elara retrieved her gem cutter's saw, its blade shimmering in the dim light. "I'm so sorry, Gareth. So sorry." As she steeled herself to end Gareth's suffering, she recalled what the physicist Marie Curie had said, 'Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.' Elara, the one now forced to bend against her own breaking point, took the saw and began to cut.
Page 9
With a final, agonizing stroke, the golden arm severed. Elara, weakened but resolute, used the freed limb to lever the boulder just enough to free Gareth. They stumbled out of the tunnel, leaving the gold and the shattered remains of their dreams behind. As they stood beneath the moonlight filtering through the cavern entrance, a profound silence fell between them.
Page 10
They never sought gold again, content to carve beauty from simple stones. Gareth learned to work with one hand, his avarice replaced by a quiet gratitude for life itself. And though the glint of gold never truly faded from his memory, he understood that true wealth lay not in its possession, but in the love that remained. The River Witch's laughter still echoed in the caverns, a constant reminder: greed's glittering promise often leaves one... empty-handed.
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)
Questions and answers
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