The Gold Bug

"The Gold Bug" is a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe. It follows the adventure of an unnamed narrator and his eccentric friend, William Legrand, as they search for buried treasure.

The story begins with the narrator visiting Legrand on an isolated island in South Carolina. Legrand, who has recently become obsessed with finding buried treasure, shows the narrator a mysterious scarab-like bug (aka "The Gold Bug"). He believes holds the key to discovering the treasure's location.

Legrand describes how he deciphered a cryptogram. It is a coded message, that he found on a piece of parchment attached to the bug. The two men set out on a journey to locate the buried treasure, guided by the clues within the cryptogram.

As they follow the clues, Legrand's behavior becomes increasingly erratic. But the narrator remains devoted to his friend and the adventure. They encounter various obstacles but eventually reach the location indicated by the cryptogram.

At the site, they discover a skeleton and a chest filled with gold coins and jewels. Captain Kidd, a notorious pirate, buried the treasure. However, a group of pirates suddenly attacks them.

 

Legrand and the narrator manage to fend off the pirates and escape with the treasure. They return to the island, where Legrand's behavior returns to normal, and they divide the treasure between themselves.