The Star Money
The Star Money — an illustrated tales story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Tales.
Page 1
In a kingdom beneath the waves, where bioluminescent creatures painted the ocean in shifting colors, lived two sisters: Coralia, a kind girl forced into servitude, and Maris, her cruel step-sister. Coralia, unlike Maris, possessed a heart full of generosity, a trait that would be tested in the most extraordinary way. One day, she would learn the value of true wealth, a wealth far greater than any gold. But first, she would face trials that plumbed the ocean's deepest, darkest trenches.
Page 2
Coralia scrubbed the palace floors, her hands raw. "Hurry, girl," Maris snapped, tossing a handful of glittering coins onto the wet stone. "I need those pearls polished before the tide changes." Coralia sighed, her gaze drawn to a small, injured seahorse struggling nearby. She gently scooped it up, whispering, "Don't worry, little one; I'll help you."
Page 3
Later, as Coralia carried a heavy basket of seaweed to the royal kitchens, a frail old merman blocked her path. "Please, child," he rasped, his eyes clouded with hunger, "spare a morsel for a starving soul?" Coralia hesitated. Her step-sister demanded absolute obedience, but the merman's suffering weighed on her heart. She reached into the basket and offered him a portion of the seaweed, saying, "Here, this is all I have."
Page 4
Maris discovered Coralia's act of kindness. "You dare defy me?" she shrieked, tearing the few meager trinkets Coralia possessed from her. "Strip her bare!" The guards roughly seized Coralia, ripping her already tattered tunic. "Now you will learn," Maris hissed, "that kindness is a weakness."
Page 5
"Out, you wretch!" Maris screeched, shoving Coralia out of the palace gates. "See how far your 'kindness' gets you in the darkest trenches!" Coralia stumbled, tears streaming down her face as she was thrust into the cold, black abyss beyond the kingdom. A single, shimmering fish darted past, its light a fleeting comfort in the overwhelming darkness.
Page 6
Alone and shivering, Coralia wept. Her tears mingled with the cold seawater, and as they fell, they transformed into glittering starfish, each one pulsing with a soft, warm light. A voice, gentle as the tide, echoed, "Your kindness has not gone unnoticed, child. What you gave away now returns to you."
Page 7
Suddenly, starfish rained down, clinging to her tattered clothes, morphing into shining gold coins. Pearls cascaded from the inky water, covering the seabed. Though naked, she was now richer than Maris ever could be, but the weight of her sister's cruelty stung. "As Helen Keller once said, 'Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it'," she whispered to herself, remembering the stories her mother told her.
Page 8
She could use the star money to build her own kingdom, a life far from Maris's tyranny. But a memory flickered in her mind: the old merman's hunger, the seahorse's pain. Could she truly turn her back on those who suffered? She knew that she couldn't, the guilt would eat her alive.
Page 9
Coralia swam back toward the palace, carrying sacks overflowing with star money. She did not seek revenge, but justice. She found Maris feasting with her court, oblivious to the suffering beyond her gates. Coralia opened the sacks, showering the palace with gold and pearls, but not for Maris's greed. Instead, Coralia said, "This wealth is for the poor, the sick, and the forgotten of the sea."
Page 10
Coralia used the star money to build hospitals, provide food, and create a kingdom of compassion. Maris, stripped of her power and wealth, faded into obscurity. And Coralia understood that true wealth wasn't measured in gold, but in the love and gratitude of those she helped. For the ocean kingdom knew that in the end kindness will bring you more in the long run, than greed ever could.
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)
Questions and answers
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