Child of the Stone

When an old peasant in medieval Spain unearths an ancient box, he discovers a power that will change his life. A silver plate promises to bring him and his wife out of poverty, but the true treasure lies hidden in another artifact: a simple stone. Once he discovers the stone's powers, he must either tell the truth and forfeit it to the authorities, or let his greed corrupt it. (Science Fantasy Short Story) This short story is the backstory for the science fiction novel The Healing Stone and tells of how Francisco's 5th great grandfather discovered the stone.