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He polished the mud off the coin—little enough even if…

“He polished the mud off the coin—little enough even if gold—and pulled out his own purse. Now there was an empty bladder. He dropped the thin disk of metal into the leather mouth and stared down at its lonely glint. He sighed and tucked the pouch away. Now he had a hope for bandits to steal again…” quote by Lois McMaster Bujold
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““He polished the mud off the coin—little enough even if gold—and pulled out his own purse. Now there was an empty bladder. He dropped the thin disk of metal into the leather mouth and stared down at its lonely glint. He sighed and tucked the pouch away. Now he had a hope for bandits to steal again. Now he had a reason to fear. He reflected on his new burden, so great for its weight,””

Lois McMaster Bujold

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A character's greed leads to a self‑inflicted burden, creating both opportunity for thieves and personal fear.

In simple terms: Greed creates a heavy, risky burden.

Key Takeaway

Beware of selfish actions that invite danger.

Themes

greed consequence fear

Mood

cautionary introspective

Type

literary dramatic

When to use this quote

  • financial dealings
  • personal ethics
  • crime scenarios

Key Concepts

psychology burden risk

Questions to Reflect On

  • What drives a person to accept a dangerous burden?
  • How does fear influence future choices?
A Different Perspective

The narrative may romanticize criminal motives.

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