The Star Thalers
The Star Thalers - The reward for giving to others
A poor girl lived completely alone in the world after her mother and father had died. This orphan child was also very poor. She had no room where she could live any more and no bed where she could sleep. Soon she had nothing more than the clothes she wore and a piece of bread in her hand, given to her by a kind-hearted soul. The girl went out into the world full of trust in God.
On the way she met a poor man who said "Oh, give me something to eat, I am so hungry." The girl gave the man all of her piece of bread and went on. Then she met a child who complained "My head is so cold. Give me something so I can cover it." The girl took off her cap and gave it to the child. After a while she met another child who had nothing on and was freezing cold. Full of sympathy, the girl gave him her dress. A little further, another child asked for a skirt, and the girl gave her her own.
And, as she stood there with nothing at all, suddenly the stars from the sky fell down – and they turned out to be many hard, gleaming thalers. All at once the girl found herself wearing a new, fine linen shirt. She then gathered up the thalers and, from that point on, she was rich for the rest of her life.