Long long ago, in the age before television, was a small inn named The Little Swan in Harlem. Now this isn’t the Harlem you’re probably thinking of. This Harlem is located near Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The innkeeper, Willem, and his wife, Kaatje, were poor but very happy together. Kaatje though was a dreamer and would often tell her husband about the wonderful things that that her dreams said would happen to them.
One night though she had a dream much more vivid then normal. The next morning she was quieter then normal thinking about it.
“Kaatje, is something wrong?” Willem asked “You are so quiet this morning and normally you chatter and sing all day. Are you unhappy or unwell?”
“Oh no Willem,” she replied “It’s just that I keep thinking a dream I had last night. I can see it now as if it were all real.”
“You and your dreams,” he scoffed. “If dreams came true you and I would be King and Queen of the world! Still, you’ve made me curious, what did you see?”
“I dreamed we would be rich; rich beyond our dreams. But first I would have to go to Amsterdam and walk around the Corn Exchange three times.”
Willem burst out laughing “I’ve been to Amsterdam so often; I must have walked around the Corn Exchange dozens of times but it hasn’t made me one cent richer!”
Kaatje did not laugh. “Honestly Willem,” she said. “I could see it quite clearly, and I can hear the voice telling me how to gain my fortune.”
“Very well then,” her husband said. “If you insist on it, the next time I’m in Amsterdam I will walk around the Exchange three times for you. I need to go next week to purchase supplies for our inn anyways.”
Kaatje would not agree, she had to go herself. That was what the voice said. She also had to do it at the stroke of midnight.
“Well if you really truly want to know if your dream is true or not then you had better hurry to Amsterdam,” Willem said.
So off she went to Amsterdam, at eleven o’clock she arrived at the Corn Exchange. She was impatient waiting for Midnight but at last the clocks all chimed.
She was very excited as she walked around the building. Once, twice, then the third time. She was a bit tired afterwards as the Exchange is a very long building.
As she arrived back at her starting position for the last time she stopped and looked around.
Nothing happened.
She began to feel a little foolish. Maybe Willem was right and she should have stayed home. How could she get rich doing this? It was quite silly really.
Just as she was about to return home she heard a voice ask “Excuse me, can I help you?”
Looking around she saw a fine gentleman approach her. “I’m sorry, what?” Kaatje asked.
“Did you lose something?” he asked “You keep walking around and around the Exchange like you’ve lost something. It’s late and maybe another pair of eyes can help.”
Kaatje laughed softly and said no. She then told him about her dream.
Her listened to her story then smiled in pity.
“My dear,” he sighed “You should not pin your hopes on dreams. I once had a dream of finding riches. In it I traveled to the town of Harlem and stayed at an inn there, The Little Swan I think it was called, anyways in the dream there was a gooseberry bush right next to the inn and underneath it lay the treasure. But it’s just a dream, if you want to believe in dreams why don’t you go chase your treasure in Harlem. I doubt there is even an inn there.
Still laughing the gentleman continued on his way.
Kaatje ran as fast as she could back home. It was over 12 miles away and she was exhausted when she returned home. Willem was still awake, waiting out of concern for his wife.
“There you are,” he said relieved to see Kaatje safe and sound. “I knew you wouldn’t find your fortune. Your tired, and to what purpose?”
But Kaatje was not put off.
“Don’t laugh at me yet,” she said, “My dream will come true.”
Taking a spade she went outside to the only gooseberry bush near the inn.
“What are you doing?” Willem cried “You’re ruining the bush!”
Kaatje wouldn’t quit and soon the gooseberry bush was out of the ground. She continued to dig but brought up nothing except mud and sand.
“This has gone far enough!” Willem said “People pay good money for our gooseberry jam. What are we going to do during the slow months?”
He was about to grab the shovel away from her when they both hurt a loud clunk. As she cleared the earth away an iron bound chest came into view. After breaking open the lock they were shocked to see piles and piles gold coins.
Willem couldn’t believe his eyes, it was a treasure chest of Spanish gold, no doubt from the time the Spanish laid siege to Harlem.
They brought the chest inside and happily danced together inside the inn.
And from that day forward they both believed sincerely that dreams can come true.