story time with gigi

the ball of gold

tonight gigi told us the story of two families who used to live side by side.  one family was very very rich, while the other was very, very poor.  every night the rich family would sit in their quiet house and hear nothing but laughter and gaiety coming from the house next door.  in fact, the poor family would carry on so much that one day they decided to ask them what it was that was making them so happy every night.  the poor family explained that they had a ball of gold, and they would pass the ball of gold and look at it each night and it brought them immense happiness and joy.  well, the rich family could certainly afford a ball of gold if their neighbors had!  they quickly went out and bought a ball of gold, but that night as they sat looking at their treasure they still could not imagine what was making their neighbors laugh and carry on so.  the next day they went to their neighbor's house and asked to see their ball of gold - surely it must have something special that theirs was lacking!  the family came out with a small child - their 'ball of gold'.  it was the child that made them laugh and carry on each night - far more precious than any amount of gold!