The Three Keys

 

In a small house on the outskirts of a city lived three brothers named Roni, Guaiz, and Rostabel. They were among the poorest in their area. They never had enough food to fill their stomachs or proper clothes to cover their bodies. For them, life was a miserable prison, which is why they never seemed happy.

One day, a new calamity struck. Fierce winds began blowing from the mountains, tearing off the roof of their tiny house. The walls cracked and collapsed, leaving them without shelter.

Their pockets were empty—where would they get the money for repairs? Then winter arrived, making their condition even worse. Wearing tattered old fur coats, they would huddle together in a corner of their ruined home, barely surviving the nights. In the mornings, they would gaze longingly at the cold stove, which hadn’t been lit in over a year, and at the empty pantry that had been barren for ages. They survived on the charity of neighbors.

They also owned three horses, which had grown weak from lack of fodder.

Whenever they spotted some greenery in the forest, the horses would nibble on it to fill their stomachs a little. Occasionally, the younger brothers would venture into the foothills in search of wild fruits, managing to gather enough to last a few days.

When spring arrived, the three brothers set out for the deep forest one Sunday—a place most people avoided out of fear of wild animals.

This forest was also home to rabbits. The brothers hoped to catch a few, dreaming of the taste of meat, which they hadn’t had in a very long time. But their hopes were dashed. It seemed as if all the rabbits had vanished.

While searching, they suddenly came across a cave hidden behind thick bushes. They thought that while it might be difficult for a person to pass through,

small animals like rabbits could easily slip inside. Perhaps this was a warren. So, they cut through the bushes with their axes and entered the cave, leaving their horses outside.

Inside, they found no rabbits—only an iron chest with three locks. The keys were still in the locks, and some faded Arabic words were inscribed on the lid.

With trembling hands, they unlocked the chest and were stunned to find it filled with gold coins. They had never even dreamed of such wealth.

Now the question was how to take the treasure home. The chest was too heavy for one horse to carry, and they wanted to avoid drawing attention. Worse, their intentions began to diverge. Guaiz and Rostabel started arguing, and it nearly came to blows before Roni, the eldest and strongest, intervened.

"This treasure belongs to all of us," he declared. "We’ll divide it equally. But first, Guaiz should take some coins to the market and buy three leather bags to carry the gold, along with bread, kebabs, and three bottles of wine—we’re starving."

The others agreed, but Guaiz grew suspicious. He suggested locking the chest again, with each brother keeping one key, so no one could open it without the others. The plan was accepted, and Guaiz left for town with his key.

Once he was gone, Rostabel and Roni sat in silence, lost in greedy fantasies. They regretted that Guaiz had come along— had he stayed home, they could have split the treasure between just the two of them. Worse, they knew Guaiz was reckless; he would gamble or drink away his share.

"He’s a disgrace to our family," Rostabel muttered. "If only he were dead."

Roni agreed. "You’re the eldest—your word is law. This is a deserted place; no one would know."

Just then, they heard hoofbeats—Guaiz returning. They hid behind the bushes. Rostabel drew his sword, ready to strike. As Guaiz approached, puzzled by their absence, Rostabel lunged. Guaiz barely had       time    to           react    before        the          sword pierced his chest. He collapsed without a sound.

Roni searched the body and found the third key, along with the leftover coins. They dragged Guaiz’s body to the river and dumped it, washing the blood from their hands and clothes.

But Roni’s greed wasn’t satisfied. As Rostabel bent over the riverbank, Roni stabbed him in the back with his dagger, then repeatedly slashed him until he fell into the water.

Now, Roni had all three keys. He opened the chest and reveled in the gold, dreaming of a life of luxury. Then he remembered the food Guaiz had brought. Ravenous, he tore open the bag and devoured the bread and kebabs, washing it down with wine.

But the wine was poisoned.

His throat burned, his body convulsed, and he realized too late that Guaiz had tricked them. Cursing, he collapsed, scattering gold coins as he died.

The crows grew bold, pecking at the leftover food. Outside, the three horses grazed peacefully, unaware of their masters’ fate. The treasure remained, its keys buried under Roni’s lifeless body— forever out of reach.