Don Melquíades was a stingy old man with a hard heart. Although he had three daughters who went out of their way for him and showered him with attention, his only happiness came from counting the ten gold coins he had saved. So, when he felt the end of his days approaching, he sat in his rocking chair and called his daughters to make them promise to bury him with his precious coins.

A few days later, the old man passed away and the daughters fulfilled his last wish. However, after a few months, the daughters discovered that the father had many debts that they could not pay off with the little they earned working.

-What will we do? said Esmeralda, the eldest daughter, to her sisters. Our father lies with gold and we with his debts. Tonight I will go to the cemetery and dig up the coins. We will pay the debts and live in peace.

The young woman went to the cemetery with shovel in hand and returned home with the coins. The sisters had dinner very happily and went to sleep.

But when midnight came, they heard a knock on the door and a voice from beyond say:

—Esmeralda, Esmeralda, you have turned your back on your promise.

Esmeralda looked out the window and saw her father, Don Melquíades, who was missing an ear and three fingers on his hand. Frightened, the young woman opened the door a crack and threw out the coins.

A few months passed and the debts continued to pile up, the sisters were desperate.

—I’ve been washing clothes and cleaning other people’s houses without enjoying a penny of my work, while our father rests with a treasure in his coffin. I’m going to the cemetery tonight and dig up the coins,” said Gemma, the middle sister.

The young woman went to the cemetery with shovel in hand and returned home with the coins. The sisters had dinner happily and went to sleep.

But when midnight came, they heard a knock on the door and a spectral voice say:

—Gema, Gema, you keep what isn’t yours, don’t you see any problem?

Gema looked out the window and saw her father, Don Melquíades, who was missing both ears, four fingers on his right hand, and his left foot. Horrified and dazed, the young woman opened the door a crack and threw out the coins.

For many years, the poor sisters lived mired in debt, working from dawn to dusk to pay them off.

“Sisters, it is time to change our destiny. We cannot live to cover our father’s debts. I have a plan and I need your help,” said Rubí, the younger sister.

The young woman went to the cemetery with shovel in hand, returned home with the coins and hid them in a kitchen drawer. Again, the sisters had dinner happily and went to sleep.

But when midnight came, they heard a knock on the door and a ghostly voice say:

—Rubí, Rubí, give me what is mine or I will never leave here.

Putting her plan into motion, Rubí went to the window and saw her father, Don Melquíades, of whom only the skeleton remained. The young woman opened the door and invited her father to come in, the other two sisters were trembling with fear.

“Dad, sit in your rocking chair and let us know the reason for your visit,” Rubí said in a casual tone.

“I’m here because my gold coins are missing,” don Melquíades roared in a terrifying voice.

“But Dad, you’re also missing your eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.” What do you think happened to them? Ruby said.

“The ground swallowed them up!” Don Melquíades responded.

—I notice that you are also missing the trunk, the arms and the feet. Do you think you know what happened to them? Rubí said, trying to remain calm.

“The ground swallowed them up!” Don Melquíades responded.

“And the same thing happened with your coins.” The earth swallowed them! Ruby exclaimed.

Saying these words, Don Melquíades jumped out of his chair and disappeared forever.

And finally… without the burden of debt, the sisters lived very happily.