The Mysterious Case of the Sudden Żebbuġ Millionaires

Chapter 1: The Parsley Predicament

It was Tuesday, or as the locals of Żebbuġ liked to call it, “Tnejn wara Tnejn.” Carmel Mizzi, known to his chums as “Il-Każin King” due to his uncanny luck at the village band club’s tombola nights, made his routine stop at the village grocer. Little did he know that a simple purchase of parsley would turn his world upside down.

Chapter 2: Gozo’s Grandiose Gossip

By Wednesday morning, Carmel’s cousin Daphne from Gozo, who had an uncanny ability to sniff out gossip faster than you could say “pastizzi,” heard the news. It buzzed across the Gozo Channel waters faster than the ferry during a summer “riħ isfel” (southerly wind). The rumor mill suggested that anyone who bought parsley from Żebbuġ’s only grocer had mysteriously struck it rich overnight.

Chapter 3: Mdina’s Mischievous Twist

In the walled city of Mdina, renowned for its historical whisperings and convoluted pathways, the gossip took an unexpected turn. It was said that the parsley wasn’t just a herb but a secret map, leading to an ancient treasure hidden right beneath the Silent City itself. The plot thickened when the grocer revealed his source: a quiet farmer named Leli, who stumbled upon ancient scrolls while planting potatoes.

Interview with Leli the Legendary Lettuce Lover

Leli: “Ovvjament, kienet qed tieħu gost biha. I was just planting my ‘ħass’ when I found these old papers. I thought, eh, they’d make good mulch. But then, people started finding gold coins while making their ħobż biż-żejt!”

Chapter 4: The Valletta Verification

While Valletta’s upper echelon rarely fluttered at rural myths, the tale of the parsley maps reached the National Museum of Archeology. The director, a man of science, scoffed at the notion but decided to send an intern down to Żebbuġ to put an end to these far-fetched fables. After all, the thought of the capital’s historical value being upstaged by some herb from Żebbuġ was laughable at best.

Chapter 5: The Great Parsley Panic

A week later, with no one less than the Prime Minister taking an interest, Żebbuġ was in full-blown panic. Parsley was selling faster than cold “Cisk” on a hot August day. Carmel, now knee-deep in newfound riches and fame, was trying to remember exactly how much parsley he bought while his wife set their new Jacuzzi… right next to their oversized pastizzi-shaped pool.

The Social Media Mayhem

• @ZebbugTreasureHunter: “Found an old button in my soup. It’s ancient, I’m sure! #ParsleyProspectors”
• @MaltaMuseumIntern: “Day 4 in Żebbuġ: Still no treasure, but the pastizzi is Kollox.”

Chapter 6: The Twist in the Tale

The uncovering of the treasure beneath Mdina turned out to be the biggest misunderstanding the island had seen since the last local election promises. The “gold” coins found were nothing but a batch of euro coins that fell out of a tourist’s pocket during a particularly energetic feasting of rabbit stew, right into Leli’s parsley patch.

As it turned out, the real reason behind the sudden wealth was a simple banking error, crediting a few Żebbuġ accounts with extra zeroes. And as the parsley fever died down, Carmel decided to stick to farming – this time, planting more parsley, “just in case.”

The Final Revelation

“Dear readers, remember that not all that glitters is gold, and sometimes, parsley is just parsley. But if you’re in Żebbuġ, buy some anyway – uwejja, it might just be your lucky day!”