A central idea of “The Three Brass Pennies” is that Ah Fo returns the magic pennies to the magician when he finds out he is better off without them.
How does this idea develop over the course of the story?
Ah Fo’s life becomes much happier after he accepts the coins, so he wants the magician to share them with others.
As Ah Fo practices using his new powers, he realizes that he no longer needs the magician's help to succeed.
Each wish places Ah Fo in great danger, so he asks the magician to destroy the coins to protect his safety.
Each time one of his wishes for power fails, Ah Fo learns to appreciate the person he was before making his wishes.
