Three Wishes

The poor couple eking a living in the forest was about to sit down to a meal of boiled turnips (without salt), when they espied a poor man, bent double with hunger and cold outside. They did not hesitate and asked the man in to share their fare. The beggar ate his share with relish and thanked the generous hosts and made for the door, but just as he was crossing the threshold, he stopped and told them that he was in fact a wizard.

A Beggar in Kolkata

‘You can have 3 wishes,’ he said, whereupon the couple thanked him profusely.

‘I want the tear on my trousers mended,’ said the man without thinking. Even before he had closed his mouth a perfect stitch appeared on his trousers. At this the wife flew into a rage, and told her husband that he was a fool to wish for something so inconsequential. To show her anger she said.

‘I’ll have a nice wooly shawl for me,’ which this time made her husband very angry. But the shawl was already on the woman’s shoulders.

‘All is not lost,’ said the Wizard kindly, ‘you have another wish, but think carefully before you ask. The woman smiled.

‘Can we please have another three wishes?’