The Salted Mushroom
Appeared in
Cricket Magazine Vol 31, Num 3, Nov 2003
Story Summary
In ancient China, the wealthiest merchant in the city witnesses an old woman cure his young wife with a tiny sliver of the mushroom of immortality, Overcome with greed to become immortal, he commands the old woman to find another of these mushrooms. She complies, but greed serves no good end and proves to be the end of the merchant.