# A Tale of the Rebellion of 1745, or, The Broken Heart (n.d., Glasgow)/The Story of the Three Wishes

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THE STORY
OF
THE THREE WISHES.
There was once a man who was not very rich, who had a very pretty woman to his wife. One winter’s evening as they sat by the fire, they talked of the happiness of the neighbours around them who were richer than they. Said the wife, “If it were in my power to have what I wish, I should soon be happier than all of them.”—-“So should I too,” said the husband; “I wish we had fairies now a days, and that one of them was kind enough to grant to me whatever I should ask or wish for."
and see, after having the means in their power of becoming rich, whether they became happier or not.
beautiful young lady appeared in the room, who addressed them thus,--"I am a fairy, and I pro- mise to grant you the first three things you shall wish for; but take care—after having wished for these three things, I will not grant one wish farther.”
were much perplexed.
left to my choice, I know very well what I should wish for; I do not wish yet, but I think nothing is so good as to be handsome, and rich, and to be of that quality,” ​ 17
things that you mention, one may be sick, and fretful, besides, who knows but one may die young: —it would be much wiser, I think, to wish for health, cheerfulness, and a long life.”
ty?” says the wife: “it would only prolong our misery. In truth, the fairy should have promised us about a dozen of gifts; for there are at least a dozen things which I want, and the wants of this life are so many, that we would always be finding out new ones.”
very wise; “but let us take time; let us carefully consider, from this time till morning, the three things which are most necessary for our happiness and then wish.”
while, let us warm ourselves for it is very cold.”
mend the fire; and seeing there was a great many of the coals thoroughly lighted, she exclaimed without at all thinking on the mischief she would work, “This is a very nice fire; I wish we had a yard of black pudding for our supper, we could get it finely dressed.”
when there came tumbling down the chimney a yard of black pudding.
black pudding! exclaimed the enraged husband; here’s a fine wish indeed! Now we have only two left. For my part, I am so vexed, that I wish the black pudding was sticking fast to the tip of your nose.”
sillier than his wife; for he had no sooner uttered this second wish, than up starts the black pudding ​ 18 and sticks so fast to the tip of the poor wife’s nose, that it defied all their efforts to take it off.
a wicked man for wishing the pudding fast to the tip of your poor wife’s nose.”
did not take the least thought of what I was say- ing. But what shall we do? I am about wishing, for vast riches, and purpose to make a golden case to hide the pudding.”
“for I would kill myself were I to live with this pudding dangling at my nose. Be persuaded, we have still a wish to make—leave it to me, or I shall go away just now, and throw myself out at the window.”
the husband, who really loved his pretty wife, called out, “Hold my dear wife, I give you leave to wish for any thing you like.”
pudding may drop off.”
the wife, who did not want wit, said to her hus- band,—
was in the right: possibly we should have been more unhappy with riches than we are at present. Believe me, friend, let us wish for nothing, and take things as it shall please God to send them; in the meantime let us sup upon our pudding, since that is all that remains to us of our wishes.”
supped merrily, and never gave themselves farther trouble about the things they had designed to wish for.