Loukas and the Game of Chance

The snake’s gift means there will be enough food on the table and an end to our aching stomachs, Loukas thought.

It meant his mother could repair her stall at the village market where she sold fish and herbs.

It meant his father could buy supplies to overhaul his row boat and replace the worn oars.

It meant his family could mend the chinks in the cottage walls and patch the cottage’s crumbling foundation.

It meant they could return the kindness of neighbors who had come to the family’s rescue when their pantry had gone empty and only a few fish had made it into their baskets. Now they could reach out to neighbors who needed their help to survive. It could be his family’s mission.

In less time than it takes to blink an eye, Loukas wrapped the coins in the cloth he used for wiping down his flute. He then grabbed his things and sped down the trail to the dock where he waited for his father’s return.

Loukas’s heart was nearly bursting with excitement from anticipating his parents’ surprise when they would first lay eyes on the snake’s precious offering.

The second his father stepped onto the dock, Loukas rushed headlong into his story about meeting up with the snake. Not once did he take a breath until he came to the part where the snake had left in its wake not one, not two, but three gold coins.

When Loukas’s story ended, the two hurried off to their cottage to bring the news to Loukas’s mother.

“As fate would have it,” the father announced, all the while unfolding the cloth that held the treasure with trembling hands, “the spell cast by our son’s music has brought us a stroke of good luck.

“Oh, my son,” Loukas’s father continued, “on this wonderful day, your gift of music has touched our lives with a special blessing.”

“Let us offer a prayer of thanks,” Loukas’s mother said.

Seconds later, Loukas joined his mother and father at the makeshift altar that stood in a corner of their cottage. They knelt before the small statue of Saint Loukas, the family’s protector, that stood on the altar.

“Saint Loukas, holy guardian, please accept our gratitude for the help you have brought to us today,” Loukas’s father prayed.

“We share with you our endless gratitude for giving us the means to survive,” said Loukas’s mother.

“And for the snake,” Loukas added. “Praise the snake that found its way to my music. That gave to me three gold coins and a better life for my family.”

“Amen,” they said together.

“If your luck holds out and the snake comes by the seawall to be entertained by you once again,” Loukas’s mother said to her son, “be sure to play a song to let the snake know how deeply grateful our family is for helping us pull through these difficult times.”