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一位富商前往法蘭克福參加大型貿易博覽會，經過一個小村莊時，不慎遺失了一個裝有800枚金幣的皮夾。在當時，這可是一筆巨款。一匹好馬大約值40枚金幣，所以失去的錢足以買下一整座馬厩，裡面有20匹馬。失去如此巨款絕非小事。
當天下午晚些時候，一位當地的木匠剛好路過同一條路，發現沉甸甸的皮夾躺在路邊的溝渠旁。他撿起皮夾，帶回了家。他沒有告訴任何人，只是小心翼翼地藏好皮夾，等待失主前來認領。他心想，如果失主出現，就必須歸還金幣；如果無人認領，那就另當別論。但他相信，首先需要耐心和誠實。
接下來的星期天，村裡的牧師在教會禮拜時宣布：一位商人遺失了800枚金幣，誰能歸還皮夾，將獲得100枚金幣的賞金。
木匠立刻把錢包拿給牧師，牧師隨即通知商人過來。
商人來了之後，急忙抓起錢包，打開，數了數裡面的錢。然後，他沒有支付之前承諾的賞金，而是只給了木匠五枚硬幣，冷冷地說：
「你沒問就拿走了你的賞金。這個錢包裡有九百枚硬幣，不是八百枚。”
貪婪的商人以為自己找到了省錢的妙招，誣告誠實的木匠偷竊。
木匠勃然大怒。
“我一枚硬幣都沒拿，”他堅定地回答，“一枚也沒有。我是個敬畏上帝的人。”
牧師上前為木匠辯護，解釋他在當地以誠實虔誠、恪守原則而聞名。但商人不肯讓步。
爭論愈演愈烈，最後牧師將兩人押送到法蘭克福的法庭。
這起案件很快就成了全城熱議的話題。人們連續幾天爭論不休，爭論誰在說真話。到了最終庭審那天，法院裡擠滿了好奇的市民，都急切地想知道判決結果。
法官首先轉向商人。
“你能向上帝發誓，你丟失的錢包裡正好有900枚硬幣嗎？”
商人毫不猶豫地把手放在《聖經》上，發誓確實如此。在那個年代，這樣的誓言被視為神聖的。
然後，法官轉向木匠。
“你能發誓說你撿到的錢包裡有800枚硬幣嗎？”
木匠平靜地把手放在《聖經》上，發誓確實如此。
法庭一片寂靜。
最後，法官宣布了他的判決：
「事情很簡單。木匠找到的錢包不可能是商人的，因為商人聲稱他丟失了一個裝有900枚硬幣的錢包。而這個錢包裡只有800枚。因此，錢包及其中的錢都歸木匠所有，他可以隨意處置這些錢。”
然後，法官直視著目瞪口呆的商人，補充說：
“至於你，先生，我建議你繼續尋找那個據說裝有你900枚硬幣的錢包。”
A wealthy merchant was traveling to a large trade fair in Frankfurt when, while passing through a small village, he lost a leather wallet filled with 800 gold coins. In those days, that was a fortune. A good horse cost around 40 coins, so the missing money could have bought an entire stable of twenty horses. Losing that kind of wealth was no small matter.
Later that afternoon, a local carpenter happened to walk down the same road and noticed the heavy wallet lying near the ditch. He picked it up and carried it home. He told no one about it, hiding it safely while waiting to see if the rightful owner would come looking for it. In his mind, if the owner appeared, the money had to be returned. If nobody claimed it, that would be another story. But first, he believed, patience and honesty were required.
The following Sunday, the village priest made an announcement during church service. A merchant had lost 800 gold coins, and whoever returned the wallet would receive a reward of 100 coins.
The carpenter immediately brought the wallet to the priest, who then sent word for the merchant to come.
When the merchant arrived, he grabbed the wallet eagerly, opened it, and counted the money. Then, instead of paying the promised reward, he handed the carpenter only five coins and said coldly:
“You already took your reward without asking. There were 900 coins in this wallet, not 800.”
The greedy merchant thought he had found a clever way to save money by accusing the honest man of theft.
The carpenter was outraged.
“I didn’t take a single coin,” he replied firmly. “Not one. I’m a God-fearing man.”
The priest stepped in and defended the carpenter, explaining that he was known throughout the community as an honest and deeply faithful man who lived by his principles. But the merchant refused to back down.
The argument grew so heated that the priest finally escorted both men to the court in Frankfurt.
The case quickly became the talk of the town. For days, people debated who was telling the truth. By the time the final hearing arrived, the courthouse was packed with curious citizens eager to hear the verdict.
The judge first turned to the merchant.
“Can you swear before God that the wallet you lost contained exactly 900 coins?”
Without hesitation, the merchant placed his hand on the Bible and swore that it did. In those days, such an oath was considered sacred.
Then the judge faced the carpenter.
“And can you swear that the wallet you found contained 800 coins?”
The carpenter calmly laid his hand on the Bible and swore that it did.
The courtroom fell silent.
At last, the judge announced his decision:
“The matter is simple. The wallet found by the carpenter cannot belong to the merchant, because the merchant claims he lost a wallet containing 900 coins. This wallet contained only 800. Therefore, the wallet and its contents shall remain with the carpenter, who may do with the money as he wishes.”
Then the judge looked directly at the stunned merchant and added:
“As for you, sir, I suggest you continue searching for the wallet that supposedly held your 900 coins.”
