The Most Precious Thing
by Shadou-sama
A re-telling of the Dutch legend, 'The Most Precious Thing in the World'

Tyson, the finest sea captain in the city--no, the land--no, the world, was not sure he had heard right. "What did you say, O Lady Hilary?"

Lady Hilary looked at him, annoyance tracing every feature of her expression. She put her hands on her hips. In the city, she was top dog. None of her fellow merchants were as rich and as proud as her. She practically ran the trade in the city.

"Will you listen, for once? I said I want you to go and bring me the most precious thing in the world!"

Tyson shifted from side to side. He grumbled many 'nick names' for her in his mind. "But what is the most precious thing?" he asked. "And where is it?"

"That's for you to find out!" Lady Hilary practically yelled. Calming down, she added coldly, "If I knew, I would already have it. I want you to discover it for me (if you're even smart enough) and bring it to me."

"And how am I supposed to buy this thing? I'm not made of money, you know."

Lady Hilary slapped her forehead. "I will give you money to buy it," she said through grit teeth, her temper seriously shorting out.

"Oh," Tyson said. "But why do you want it? You've got everything!" He waved his hand around for dramatic effect.

And indeed she did have everything (well, except for the most precious thing in the world). Her mansion was beautiful, and very, very large. Expensive antiques furnished the place. She hired more servants than she could ever possibly need. Heck, she could even afford to feed him!

"I send my ships with the most costly and beautiful items to other cities to sell. I've made a fortune selling the items that the other merchants think is too high risk to send with ships. But once I start making money with it, those copycats steal my idea. So I have to come up with a better idea. But they can't copy me by getting another most precious thing in the world. If it's so precious, they would only be one," she said, slyly. "Now go and do your job!"

"Yes, oh great Lady," Tyson said, rolling his eyes when the Lady couldn't see.

"Oh, and if you fail, don't bother coming back," she added, brightly. "No pressure or anything."


"Do this, do that. Boy, I am so sick of her!" Tyson said in the cabin of his ship with his most trusted crew members. They were on their quest to find the most precious thing in the world.

"We know," the others said, rolling their eyes.

"You've only been saying that ever since we left!" Max said.

"Why don't we talk about something else?" Rei suggested.

"Like how I'm going to get back at that stupid Lady Hilary!"

Everyone else sighed. It looked like they weren't going to get away from the now hated subject.


Months passed since Tyson and his crew left on their quest. And the quest was the only thing people seemed to talk about. Wherever Lady Hilary went, she heard people guessing what the most precious thing would be.

"A diamond has big as my head," said one.

"A gold statue so big it wouldn't be able to fit on one boat," said another. "It'll rest on three!"

"A phoenix egg," said still another.

The Lady was delighted. Those were very rare things, and unattainable too, and she knew that the most precious thing in the world would be even rarer. Oh, her plan was going to work!

At long last the ship was seen entering the harbor. Everyone streamed to the dock, be them peasants, or children, or the richest merchants. They all crowded by the ship, but when Lady Hilary arrived, they made way for her.

Tyson walked up to her. "So what did you bring me?" Lady Hilary demanded.

He paused for a moment. Then throwing up his arms, he yelled so everyone could hear him: "WHEAT!"

Lady Hilary's jaw nearly hit the floor. She bunched her fists in fury. Everyone else just gawked.

"Me and my crew visited every port in the land," Tyson explained. "I saw many precious things. But what one was the most precious? Then it hit me!"

"I'll hit you," Lady Hilary grumbled.

"Without our daily bread, what good are all the treasures of the world?"

The crowd snickered. Lady Hilary was silent for a moment, then: "And this wheat is all mine, right? To do with what I like?"

"Yep!"

"Then pour it into the harbor!"

"What?" the captain exclaimed. What a stupid thing to do!

"You heard me! Pour every last grain of it into that harbor! Now!"

"B-but, there's enough to feed every person in town! If you don't want it, give it to the poor. Who knows, maybe someday you'll be in need and wish you hadn't just thrown it away."

"Me?" Lady Hilary shrieked. "Be in need?"

She plucked off a ruby ring from her finger and held it high. "This ring will return to my hand before I am ever in need!" With all her might, she flung it into the harbor.

Tyson just stood there, enjoying the Lady's tantrum.

"You! Get out of this city! And never come back!" Lady Hilary screamed.

"Fine by me," Tyson said. He called to his men, and they steered the ship into the harbor mouth. That's where they poured all the wheat. Then they sailed from the harbor, never to be seen again.


The next day, Lady Hilary held a grand feast for the richest of the rich of the city. She spared no expense, to show that she still had every cause for pride.

A huge roast fish was set before her for carving. The Lady was about to cut into it when she noticed a glinting coming from the fish's mouth. She delicately pulled the lustrous thing out and held it up.

The guests gasped. Lady Hilary paled.

The ruby ring had returned to the Lady's hand.


Weeks later the fishermen found that a sand bar was building at the harbor's mouth. The discarded wheat had sprouted and grown, catching the sand and building a block. The tall ships could not enter the harbor anymore. The city's chief industry was ruined, and so where the lives of everyone from the dropping economy. Lady Hilary fell into poverty.

When Tyson heard of it, he smiled and said, "Maybe next time she'll think twice before scorning food."


The End.