The highest price

"The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it." 

- Henry David Thoreau

Once upon a time, as the Christmas was nearing, old jeweler watched the people passing by his exclusive store. A petite girl came around the corner and pressed her nose against the window. Her sky blue eyes sparkled as she saw something exhibited at the store’s front and she ran in.

She decisively pointed at the beautiful blue turquoise necklace. “I want this as a gift for my sister! Can you please wrap it up?” 

“How much money do you have?” asked the jeweler in astonishment.

The girl placed the battered old tin box on the counter and emptied it. Inside, there were several small bills, couple of coins, few seashells and small figurines. “Will this be enough?” she asked proudly. “I want to buy the Christmas present for my elder sister. Ever since we lost our mother, she takes care of both of us, and works all day long without any time for herself. I am sure that she will be overjoyed to have this gift. You see, her eyes are the same color as that jewel!”

Jeweler went to the small room behind the counter and caringly wrapped the box with the necklace in a beautiful golden paper. “Take this and please be careful not to damage it”, he told the little girl.

She took the present carefully and went with it out of the store, as if she was carrying
the winning cup! 

One hour later, a beautiful girl with honey-gold hair and eyes unearthly blue, entered the jewelry store. She placed a box on the counter and asked the jeweler:

“Was this necklace bought in your store?” 

“Yes miss!”

“How much did you charge for it?”

“At my store, all the prices are confidential between me and the buyer!” replied the jeweler.

“My sister had some small coins and I am sure that she could not afford this expensive necklace! Take it back!” she implored.

The old jeweler closed the box, fixed the wrapping and returned the box to this beautiful young woman!

“Please take this necklace! Your sister paid the highest price for it. She gave everything she had!”