‘In the morning the child's mother took me between her fingers， and had certain thoughtsabout me， which I very soon found out. First， she looked for a pair of scissors， and cut thestring.
‘Lucky shilling!' said she， 'certainly this is what I mean to try.' then she laid me in vinegartill I became quite GREen， and after that she filled up the hole with cement， rubbed me a littleto brighten me up， and went out in the twilight hour to the lottery collector， to buy herselfa ticket， with a shilling that should bring luck. How everything seemed to cause me trouble.The lottery collector pressed me so hard that I thought I should crack. I had been calledfalse， I had been thrown away，—that I knew; and there were many shillings and coins withinscriptions and stamps of all kinds lying about. I well knew how proud they were， so I avoidedthem from very shame. With the collector were several men who seemed to have a great dealto do， so I fell unnoticed into a chest， among several other coins.
Whether the lottery ticket gained a prize， I know not; but this I know， that in a veryfew days after， I was recognized as a bad shilling， and laid aside. Everything that happenedseemed always to add to my sorrow. Even if a man has a good character， it is of no use forhim to deny what is said of him， for he is not considered an impartial judge of himself.
A year passed， and in this way I had been changed from hand to hand; always abused，always looked at with displeasure， and trusted by no one; but I trusted in myself， and hadno confidence in the world. Yes， that was a very dark time.
At length one day I was passed to a traveller， a foreigner， the very same who hadbrought me away from home; and he was simple and true-hearted enough to take me forcurrent coin. But would he also attempt to pass me? and should I again hear the outcry，'False! good-for-nothing!' The traveller examined me attentively， 'I took thee for goodcoin，' said he; then suddenly a smile spread all over his face. I have never seen such a smileon any other face as on his. 'Now this is singular，' said he， 'it is a coin from my owncountry; a good， true， shilling from home. Some one has bored a hole through it， andpeople have no doubt called it false. How curious that it should come into my hands. I will takeit home with me to my own house.'
Joy thrilled through me when I heard this. I had been once more called a good， honestshilling， and I was to go back to my own home， where each and all would recognize me，and know that I was made of good silver， and bore a true， genuine stamp. I should havebeen glad in my joy to throw out sparks of fire， but it has never at any time been my natureto sparkle. Steel can do so， but not silver. I was wrapped up in fine， white paper， that Imight not mix with the other coins and be lost; and on special occasions， when people frommy own country happened to be present， I was brought forward and spoken of very kindly.They said I was very interesting， and it was really quite worth while to notice that those whoare interesting have often not a single word to say for themselves.
At length I reached home. All my cares were at an end. Joy again overwhelmed me; for wasI not good silver， and had I not a genuine stamp? I had no more insults or disappointmentsto endure; although， indeed， there was a hole through me， as if I were false; butsuspicions are nothing when a man is really true， and every one should persevere in actinghonestly， for an will be made right in time. That is my firm belief， said the shilling.
有一个银毫子，他亮珵珵地从造币厂里走出来，蹦蹦跳跳、丁丁当当，好哇，我要到大世界去了!这样他走进了大世界。
孩子用温暖的手紧紧握着他，贪婪的人用冰冷粘湿的手抓着他;老年人把他翻来覆去地看，年轻人则一下子就把他花掉。这个毫子是银做的，掺的铜很少，来到世界上现在已经一整年了，也就是在铸造他的那个国家里转来转去一年了。后来他到外国旅行去了，他是那位要到外国旅行的主人钱袋里最后一枚本国钱。在他拿到他之前，并不知道自己还有这枚钱。
我竟然还剩下一枚家乡的钱!他说道，可以带上他一起去旅行!当他把银币放回钱袋里去的时候，银毫子高兴得蹦蹦跳跳、丁当乱响。在袋里他和外国夥伴呆在一起，那些外国夥伴来来去去，一个让位给另一位，可是家乡带来的这枚银毫子总是呆在里面，这是一种荣誉。
好几个星期过去了，银毫子到了世界很远的地方，自己却一点儿不知道到了哪里。他听别的钱说，他们是法国的，是意大利的;一个说他们现在在这个城市，另外一个说，他们在那个城市;可是这枚银毫子却想像不出都是些甚么地方。当你总是呆在袋子里的时候，你是看不见世界的，他的情形就如此。不过有一天，当他呆在那里的时候，发现钱袋没有捆紧。於是他悄悄爬到钱袋口上，想往外看看。他很不该这么干，可是他很好奇，他遭罚了——他滑出钱袋掉进裤兜里。当晚上钱袋被取出放在一旁的时候，银毫子留在裤兜里了。他在裤兜里躺着，和衣服一起被送到了走廊里;他一下子掉到了地上;没有人听到，也没有人看到。