Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-11-09
TIE wIsn RINa.

A young farmer who was very un-
lucky sat ON his pillow q moment Ia rest,
and just then an old woman crept past
and cried. why do you go on drudg-
Ing day and night without reward
Walk two days ell you come TO great
Ar-trcc that stands all alone In the forest
and overtops all other trees. you can
how II down. you will make your
fortune"
Not waiting to have the advice re-
peated, the farmer shouldered his axe
and started on his journey. Sure
enough. after tramping two days, he
camc IN tho fir-trec, which he instantly
prepared 10 cut down. Just a. the
tree swaycd, and before II fell with a
crash, there dropped out of its branches
nest containing two eggs. The eggs
rolled 10 the ground and broke, and
shere dartcd out Of one q young eagle
and out Of the other rolled gold ring.
The eagle grew larger, NJ u by cnchant-
mens, and when il reached the size of
man, II spread In wings ~ II IN try their
strength. then. soaring upward, II cried !:
"You have rescued me take m q re-
ward the ring that lay In the other egg
II In . wish-ring. Turn u on your finger
twice. and whatever your wish IL, IL
shall he fulfilled. but remember there
IL but q single wish In the ring. No
s,oner In that granted than II loses its
power and h only an ordinary ring.
Therefore. consider we'll what you desire,
% that you may never have reason to
repent your choice" 10 speaking, the
eagle scared high In the air, circled
over the farmers head few times, then
darted, like an arrow, toward the east.
The farmer took the ring, placed II on
his finger, and turned on his way homk-
ward. Coward evening, he reached a
town where = jcweler sat In his shop
bshind q counter. on which lay many
costly rings for sale. The farmer
showed his own. and asked the merchant
tn value.
at 10 nj worth a straw" the jewelcr
answered.
Upon that. the farmer laughed very
heartily. and told the man that Il was
wish-rins. and Of greater value than all
the rings In the shop together.
The iewelcr was wicked, designing
man, and m he invited the farmer to
remain - his guest over night. "For,"
he explained, "only 10 shelter man
who owns wish-ring must bring luck
10 he treated his guest n wine and
iAir words; and that night. "A the
farmer lay sound asleep, the wicked
man stole the magic ring from his fin
ger and clipped on, In its place, COM
mon one which he had made to resem-
bile the wish-rine.
The next morning, the jcweler was
all impaticnce 70 have the farmer be-
gone. lie awakened him at cock CROW,
and said "You had better go, for
you have still . long journey before
you"
A aeon ~ the farmer had departed,
The jewclcr closed his shop, put up the
shutters, 10 that no one could peep in,
boltcd the door behind him, and, stand
Ing In the middle Of the room. he
turned the ring and cried: al wish
instantly to possess = million gold
piccesl'
No sooner said than the great. shin
ing gold pieces came pouring down upon
him In a golden torrent. over his head,
shoulders and arms. Pitifully he cried
for mercy. and tried to reach and unbar
the door; hut before he succeeded, he
stumbled and fell bleeding 10 the ground
A for the golden rain, II never stopped
ill the weight III the metal crushed the
floor, and the jcwclcr and his money
sank through to the cellar. The gold
still poured down ill the million was
complete, AMI the jewelcr lay dead in
the cellar beneath his treasure.
The noise, however, alarmed the
neighhorr, who came rushing over TO
see what the matter was; when they
saw the man dead under his gold, they
exclaimed. "I'oubly unfortunate he
whom blessings kill" Afterward, the
heirs came and divided the property.
In the meantime. the farmer reached
home In high spirits and showed the
ring In his wife.
"Hcncciorth Ne shall never be in
want, dear wife" he said. "Our for
tune 10 made. Only We must he very
careful to consider we'll just what We
ought W wish."