THE PENNY

THE PENNY

It was market day in Orville and all the farmers and peasants made their way to town - riding in their wooden wagons, or walking. Some of them led a cow or a calf at the end of a rope - with their wives walking behind the animal, prodding it along with a stick to hasten its pace. The women carried baskets on their arm’s filled with chicken eggs, and fresh vegetables. They walked with a shorter and quicker step than the men, their stiff, lean figures wrapped in shawls pinned over their chest.

Every now and then they passed a grand carriage, driven by a stone-faced driver, with a man and woman seated side by side, clinging to the sides of the carriage to lessen the rough ride.

Gathered inside the square at Orville was a huge crowd. Men, women and children stood in small groups conversing, along with chickens, piglets and goats. The sharp shrill of laughter and high-pitched voices creating a continuous uproar, over which soared the prolonged bellow of a cow fastened to the wall of a house.

* * *

Heading for that same market square, an old gypsy woman saw a rusty penny lying on the ground - and being a practical woman she had the habit of picking up anything she could use. She had just shoved that rusty penny into her skirt pocket, when she saw Master Mandala the harness-maker, who hated her, and all fortune tellers, standing outside his shop, watching her. And because they did not like each other, they did not speak.

Realizing that the Harness Maker had seen her pick up that penny, she pretended to look on the ground for something else she might have lost. A few minutes later she headed for the market where she soon found herself in the middle of a lively crowd, who were shouting and bargaining with each other. The women, having placed their baskets at their feet, displayed their fowls, which lay on the ground, their legs tied together.

They bargained, but they always stuck close to their prices, short of talk with a blank expression on their face. However, sometimes they were forced to take a lower price, depending on the crowd.

Toward evening the square emptied and those who were rich and who lived too far away took rooms at various nearby inns.

At the Castlereagh Inn their rooms were full of customers, as was their great big courtyard jam-packed with carts and carriages.

Their massive fireplace, burning full blast, cast a powerful heat against their fowl being roasted on spears. Three spears laden with chickens, pigeons, and duck. A mouthwatering assortment of roasted meat came forth from the hearth, which stirred the guests into a great cheerfulness, and made their mouths water.

All those with money to spare ate their supper at the Castlereagh Inn, including Master Mandala the harness maker - a shrewd man who had plenty of money.

The cooked food was passed around on platters as were the jugs of yellow cider. Everyone at the inn had a good time. They asked each other about their crops and came to the conclusion that the weather was good for green growth, but not so much for wheat because of too much rain.

A drum roll out in the yard, at the front of the inn startled everyone and in an instant they all jumped to their feet, except a few people that were uninterested. Those that were interested ran through the door with their mouths still stuffed full of food with napkins in hand.

Outside stood the town crier, who in a loud voice shouted: “The good people of Orville and all those present at the market are hereby informed that between nine and ten o'clock this morning on the road from Eviller to Orville a black leather satchel was lost. This leather satchel contained fifty gold pieces, and important papers. The finder of this satchel is requested to take it to the mayor's house at once, or to Master Charles Griffin’s house in Eviller. A reward of one gold piece, ten chickens, one duck, and one goat will be given to whoever finds his satchel.”

Back inside the inn, they heard the town crier once more in the distance, and then he disappeared for good.

It was after the town crier had left they began to talk about the incident - and what Master Griffin’s chances were of finding his lost gold coins.

And so, they kept on talking. They were finishing their coffee when a policeman appeared in the doorway.

“Is there an old gypsy woman and fortune teller in here?’

The old woman who was seated at the farthest end of the table reading someone’s Tarot Cards, replied: “Here I am. What do you want with me?”

The policeman continued: “Will you be kind enough to come to the mayor's office with me? The mayor would like to speak to you.”

Surprised, the old woman followed the policeman.

The mayor, who was also a lawyer was seated in an armchair waiting for her. “Old woman,” he said, “You were seen this morning, on the road, picking up a black leather satchel lost by a Master Charles Griffin.”

The old woman dumbfounded, stared at the mayor, and said:

“You think that I picked up this man's satchel?”

“Yes, someone saw you!”

“On my word of honor, I didn't so much as see it.”

“Someone says he saw you with his own eyes.”

“Who was it that saw me?”

“Master Mandala the harness-maker.”

And the old woman remembered and understood; and flushing with anger, she cried: “I will tell you what he saw! He saw me pick up a penny.” And fumbling in the depths of her dress pocket, she produced an old rusty penny.

But the mayor was skeptical and shook his head.

“I’m sorry but I don’t believe you, after-all you are a gypsy, and we all know what gypsies are!” He replied, “I have known Master Mandala for many years, and he is an honest man who speaks the truth. He could not have confused this old penny for a black leather satchel.”

The old woman, angry, and with her rosary beads in hand, she pledged her honor, by adding: “It's the God's Truth, all the same, mayor. I say it again, by my soul and my salvation.”

“After picking up the satchel,” the mayor continued, “You were seen hunting around in the mud. Were you searching for additional gold coins that might have fallen out?”

This time, however, the old woman was beside herself with anger and fear - fear she might be imprisoned for something she did not do.

“How dare anyone say such lies about me!” She yelled, in tears.

However, it did her no good to protest. The mayor and all the others did not believe her.

On top of everything else, she was confronted by Master Mandala, who repeated his accusation and maintained his declaration. At her own request the old woman was searched. Finding nothing on her, the mayor, had to let her go, but warned her to stay in town.

However, the news had spread, and after leaving the mayor's office, the old gypsy woman was surrounded by people who mocked her and called her a thief. And when she began to tell her side of the story they did not believe her. They laughed and spit in her face.

She argued and pleaded with them to listen to her, repeating herself again and again. She even turned her pockets inside out, to prove that she had nothing of value on her except an old penny and a rosary.

Still they called her a thief, and called for her to be hung by the neck until dead.

“You deserve to die for what you did, you old gypsy hag,” a man who lost his temper cried out, and a few seconds later he stabbed the old woman through the heart.

* * *

One day later, about one o'clock in the afternoon, Martin a farmhand, working for a Master Brighton, came to Orville to turn over a black satchel and all its contents to the mayor. Martin the farmhand stated that he had found the black satchel on the road; but, being unable to read, had carried it back home with him and given it to his employer, who then told him to bring the satchel to the mayor. The mayor upon seeing the satchel, and who had learned a valuable lesson broke down and cried in shame. He then, had the Harness maker who lied about the old woman arrested for giving false testimony and he was sentenced to life in prison. Inside the courthouse in Orville on the lobby wall, there now hangs a plaque that reads: Because of one man’s lie, an old gypsy woman and fortune teller lost her life. Let that be a lesson to all that tell a lie.