The man with gold and silver
Was the first to meet his end.
But at the time, he did not know,
Still thinking it was a god-send.

He decided not to spend it,
Chose to keep it locked away.
He dug a hole and buried it there,
About it to none he would say.

For several years, he felt secure,
Sure that if disaster did come
He would be safe, with his hidden hoard
To no misery he would succumb.

His gold he guarded carefully
Like a dragon and a lair
But for his gold he gave up more
Much fell into disrepair.

To hire a guard for his gold,
He sold away his horse and cow
To build a wall around the guard,
He sold away the boar and sow.

Since he did not trust the guard,
Up at night he did sit.
And so for constant vigilance
He sold his health, and time with it.

Despite his watching, day and night,
Worry hid mind did hold.
The thought of theft did drive him mad
For the wealth, much else he sold.

First his horse and sow,
Then his health and time,
Soon after, his wife and daughter,
And then, at last, his mind.