Once upon a time there was a counterfeiter named Chuck who lived in a magical kingdom where all currency was made of precious metal. Chuck thought it would be easy to make fake coins, but he didn't know the Federal Reserve was watching him.

One day, while making his fake coins, Chuck accidentally mutilated one of them. He tried to hide it, but the Federal Reserve found out and put him on trial. Chuck was worried because the law stated that any mutilated coin was no longer considered legal tender and couldn't be used as currency.

But then, a surprise witness came forward. It was a numismatic, an expert on coins, who explained that the mutilated coin was actually a rare denomination and worth much more than its face value.

The judge was shocked and declared Chuck a coin-making genius. He was no longer a criminal, but a valuable member of the kingdom's economy. Chuck lived happily ever after, creating even more unique and valuable coins. The end.

Reflections

1. What do you think was the Federal Reserve's role in the story?
2. Why did Chuck try to hide the mutilated coin?
3. How did the numismatic expert help Chuck?
4. What was the fate of Chuck in the end?
5. What message do you think the story is trying to convey?