Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-01-29
aMisfellanu.
The Wishing Ring.

HOW IT BROUGHT GOOD LUCK TO ITS OWNER.
young farmer, whose farming did not pros
per particularly well, was sitting resting
on his pillow for a moment as he wiped his
brow, when an old witch crept up to him
and said, why do you toll so hard, and .
all for nothing? Walk straight before
you for two days and you will come to a
large FIR tree, which stands alone, towering
over all the other trees of the forest. f.
you can but fell it, your fortune is made"
The farmer did not wait to be told .
twice, but taking his AK on his shoulder,
started on his way. After walking two
days, he came to the fir tree, and immedi- |
ately set to work to fell it. Soon it |
topped and crashed to the earth, when |
from the top branches dropped nest con-
tanning two eggs. The eggs rolled on the
ground and broke; as they broke, forth /
came young eaglet from one, and small
golden ring from the other. The vaglet |
grew visibly, till it reached half the height |
of man, shook its wings, as if to try
them, raised itself from the ground, and
then cried: You have released me as
token of my gratitude, take the ring the
other egg contained-it is a wishing-ring. |
Turn it on your fnger, speak your wish
aloud, and it will inn ediately be granted.
But the ring has only one wish when
that is accomplished it will lose all power
and become no more than any other ring.
Therefore, reflect well on what you wish
for, so that you may not have to repent
afterward"
Having SO spoken, the eagle rose high
into the air, swept, for some time, i'll wide
circles over the farmers head, and then
like an arrow from a bow, shot swiftly
toward the east. The farmer took the
ring, put it on his finger and started home
ward. Toward evening he reached a
town. At the door of his shop a gold
smith stood who had many valuable rings
for sale. The farmer showed him his
ring. and asked him what was about the
value OF 1t.
Mere trnmpery," answered the gold
smith. The farmer laughed heartily,
telling the man 1t was a wishing-ri and
OF more value than all the rings in his
shop put together. Now the goldsmith
was false, designing man, so he invited
the farmer to stay all night at his house,
saying: " 1t must bring one good luck
to entertain man who Is the possessor Of
such precious jewel, so pray remain with
me-" He accordingly entertained him
with plenty Of wine and civil words. but
when he went to sleep at night, he drew
his ring stealthily from his finger, and put
on 1t instead common ring quite like it
in appearance. The next morning the
goldsmith could hardly wait with any de-
gree of patience, till the farmer had taken
his departure. He awoke him in the early
dawn, saying: &" You have far to go, you
had better start early" As soon as the
farmer was safe on his journey. the gold
smith went into his room, and, having
shut the shutters that 10 one might see. he
bolted himself in, and, standing in thC
middle Of the room, and turning the rins
on his finger and exclaimed
Il wish to have a hundred thousand
silver crowns Immediately :"
Hardly were the words spoken. whel
bright fve-shillipg pieces began to rail-
down from the ceiling; shining slve
crowns poured down SO fast and hard tina
at last they began to beat him unmerciful
ly about the head and shoulders and arms
Calling piteously for help, he tried to rusl
to the door, but before he could reach
and unbolt it, he fell bleeding to tn
ground. Still the rain of silver crown
did not cease, and soon, under the weigh
of it, the flooring gave way, and the III
fortunate goldsmith and his money fel
down into a deep cellar And still
Al u
crowns were completed, and then the golC
smith lay dead in bis cellar with the mas
of money upon him. Attracted at last b
the noise, the neighbors rushed to the spo
and, on finding the goldsmith dead undo
his money exclaimed: alt really is gre;
misfortune, when blessings rain down lik
cudgels." Then the heirs came and d
vided the spoil.
Meantime, the farmer went happiI
home, and showed the ring to his wife.
We shall now never want for an
thing, dear wife, he said our fortuI
is made. But we must consider well VIII
We must wish for"
The wife had bright idea ready
hand.
Let US wish ourselves some mo
land" said she ave have so littl
There is just nice strip which stretch
into our field. Let US wish for that"
THAT would never be worth while
replied the husband; 60 we have only
work well for year, and have modera
share Of good luck, and we can buy it Fl
ourselves"
And the man and his wife worked hal
for whole year, and the harvest hs
never been 30 plentiful as that autumn,
they were not only able to buy the strip
land, but had money to spare.
You see.' said the husband, i" the lar
is ours and the wish too"
Then the good woman thought it wou
he capital thing to wish themselves
cow and horse,
Wife," answered the husband, aga