Fa Hein’s Dream | Chinese Short Story

This is the Chinese short story of Fahein’s Dream. Fa Hein was living in a town and wanted to turn copper into gold. All his experiments had failed badly but he still believed that one day he would be able to turn copper into gold.

He had wasted all his ancestral wealth on his foolish dreams.

His wife was very worried. She consulted a friend of her late father. He asked her to bring Fa Hein.

The old man said to Fa Hein, “I would like to pass on a family secret to you. I know how to turn copper into gold.

Fa Hein was overjoyed. “But first, you must bring me the fallen leaves of coconut palms watered from copper vessels,” the old man said.

“This means I will have to grow them myself and it will take a long time,” replied Fa Hein.

“Yes, it will. But it will be worthwhile,” said the old man.

Fa Hein grew a coconut plantation on his ancestral land. The leaves were green and lush on the trees.

Now Fa Hein had to wait for the leaves to dry. Finally, The leaves dried and started falling off the trees.

While Fa Hein was busy collecting the fallen leaves, his wife was busy selling the coconuts. She had collected many gold coins. 

After a few years, Fa Hein went to the old man and said, “I have collected enough leaves, can we perform the magic now?

Ha Ha Ha! The magic had already been performed, replied the old man. 

“What do you mean? asked Fa Hein.

“While you were collecting the fallen leaves, your wife was busy selling the coconut and the coir. And this is all the profit we have made.” Saying so, the old man poured all the gold coins Fa Hein’s wife had collected.