James Baldwin’s Short Story, ‘The Charcoal Man and the King’

A kindly peasant saves a child from drowning and takes him home.

“Charcoal Kiln in An Oak Tree Forest,” by Karl Lessing. A child is saved by a peasant who delivers charcoal to the court. Public Domain

A rich man may be important to many, but he may not impact them in a deep, personal way. Conversely, although a poor man may touch the lives of only a few, his benevolent spirit and actions can reach many, even kings.

James Baldwin (1841–1925) demonstrated the power of a peasant’s kindness in his short story, “The Charcoal Man and the King.” In this story, Baldwin follows the inspirational actions of the poor charcoal man, Jacquot, whose actions go so far that they impact the king himself.