The Lost Treasure
“The Town of Meiringen: A Bold Plan to Protect Their Riches”
Many years ago, Switzerland was at war with France. The French armies had started invading the country, having already seized several Swiss towns. It seemed likely that the invaders would penetrate even further and this caused great concern among the populace of the small town of Meiringen. They feared that if the French soldiers reached their town, they would plunder all their wealth, leaving the townsfolk destitute.
Securing the Town’s Wealth
In an effort to preserve what they had, the townsfolk decided to hide their treasure. They gathered all the money, gold, silver, and precious jewelry, locked it in hefty chests and brought them to the Town Hall. They sought the Mayor’s advice on an ideal hiding spot that would elude the French soldiers if they were to invade the town.
The Mayor pondered on this for quite some time before a light bulb moment; the Lake was the perfect hiding place. He reassured them that the French soldiers would never think to search the Lake and the treasure was safe there as the lake’s depth was formidable.
Submerging the Treasure
The townsfolk heeded to their Mayor’s advice and loaded all the treasure chests into small boats. They rowed them to the deepest part of the Lake of Meiringen, voicing their confidence in their remarkable plan as they propelled the vessels. They then meticulously tipped the treasure chests overboard to sink and be swallowed by the depth of the lake. Enamored by their ingenuity, the townsfolk were filled with self-praise.
Marking the Spot
The celebration was soon interrupted by a realization. While they had hidden their treasure from the French soldiers, they had not devised a way to relocate it. To resolve this, one of them drew a cross on the side of the boat using a piece of white chalk. Satisfied, they rowed back to the shore.
Interestingly, the French Army never discovered the hidden treasure, but neither did the people of Meiringen upon their return. Their chalk-marked boat’s location in the boathouse was no help in tracing the submerged treasure. The townsfolk were left with tales of their once-flourishing wealth guarded by the fishes, and a lesson in the tragic cost of smart ideas without proper planning. One can’t help but wonder whether they learned their lesson and chose a more prudent mayor in the end.