The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-10-03
THE WISH-RING.

on his pillow a moment to rest, and Just then
an old woman crept past and cried: "Why
do you so on drudging day and night with
out reward? Walk two DAYS till you come
TO a great fir-tree that stands all alone in the
forest and overtops all other trees. Ifyou
can hew it down, you can make your fort
une."
Not waiting to have the advice repeated,
the farmer shouldered his axe and started on
his journey. Sure enough, after tramping
two days he came to the fir tree, which he
instantly prepared to cut down. Just as the
tree swayed, and before it fell with crash,
there dropped out of its branches a nest con-
tanning two eggs The eggs rolled to the
ground and broke, and there darted out of
one young eagle and out OF the other rolled
q gold ring The eagle grew larger as if by
enchantment, and when it reached the size
of man, it spread its wings as if to try it's
strength, then soaring upward, it cried: You
have rescued me; take as your reward the
ring that laid in the other egg; il is twice a
wish-ring. Turn it on your finger twice
and whatever your wish is it shall be full
filled. But remember there is but a single
wish in the ring. No sooner is that granted
than it loses its power and is only an ordi-
nary ring Therefore, consider we'll what
you desire so that you may never have rea-
son 10 repent your choice" So speaking
the eagle scared high in the air, circled over
the farmers head a few times, then darted,
like an arrow, toward the east
The farmer took the ring, placed it on his
finger and turned on his way homeward.
Toward evening he reached a town where
jeweler sat in his shop behind a counter, on
which lay many costly rings for sale. The
farmer showed his own, and asked the mer-
chant its value.
1T isn't worth a straw" the jeweler an
swcred.
Upon that the farmer laughed very heart
toll % n wis h
and of greater value than all the rings in the
shop together.
The ieweler was a wicked, designing man,
and so lie invited the farmer to remain as his
guest over night. For" ne explained,
only to shelter man who owns a wish-ring
must bring luck
So he treated his guest to wine and fair
words, and that night, as the farmer lay
sound asleep, the wicked man stole the magic
ring from his finger and slipped on in its
place a common one which he had made to
resemble the wish ring
The next morning the jeweler was all inn
patience to have the farmer BECOME He
awakened him at cock-crow and said: you
had better go, for you have still a long jour
ney before you"
As soon as the farmer had departed, the
jeweler closed his shop, put up the shutters
so that no one could peep in, bolted the door
behind him, and, standing in the middle of
wish instantly to possess a million gold
pieces"
No sooner said than the great shining gold
pieces came pouring down upon him in
golden torrent over his head shoulders and
arms. Pitifully he cried for mercy, and tried
to reach and unbar the door; but before he
succeeded he stumbled and fell bleeding 10
the ground As for the golden rain, it never
stopped till the weight of the metal crushed
the floor. and the jeweler and his money
sank through to the cellar. The gold still
poured down until the million was complete,
and the jeweler lay dead in the cellar beneath
ms treasure.
The noise, however, alarmed the neigh
bors, who came rushing over TO see what the
matter was; when they saw the man dead
under his gold, they exclaimed: "Doubly
unfortunate he whom blessings kill" AT
terward. the heirs come and divided the
property.
home in high spirits ana showed the ring to
his wife.
"Henceforth we shall never more be in
want dear wife," he said "Our fortune is
made. Only we must be very careful to con-
slider well just what we ought to wish"
The farmers wife, of course, prohered an
vice, Suppose" said she. that we wish for
that bit of land that lies between our two
fieldsP
THAT isn't worth while" her husband re-
Piled IF we work hard for year, we'll
earn enough money to buy it.
So the two worked very hard, and at har-
vest time they had never raised such crop
before. They had earned money enough to
buy the coveted strip OF land and still have
q bit to spare. See" said the man, I'VE
have the land and the wish as we'll"
The farmers wife then suggested that they
had better wish FOR a cow and horse But
the man replied "Wife, why waste our
81, fri Tba
we'll get anyway"
Sure enough, in q years time the money
for the horse and COW had been earned.
JoyfLlly the man rubbed his hands The
wish is saved again this year, and yet
We have what we desire. How lucky we
arei'
But now his wife seriously adjured him
to wish for something at last. Now that
| you have a wish to be granted" she said,
| ''you slave and toll, and are content with
everything. You might be King, Emperor,
Baron, even a gentleman farmer, with chests
overlooking with gold; but you don know
what you want"
1--WE are young and life is long," he an
swered There is only one wish in the ring.
and that is easily said. Who knows but
sometime we NAV sorely need this wishY
Are we in want of anything? Have we not
prospered, to all peoples astonishment. since
we possessed this ring2 Be reasonable and
patient for awhile. In the meantime, con-
sder what we really out to wish for"
And that was the end of the matter.
1t really seemed as if the ring had brought
| a blessing into the house. Granaries and
barns were full to overlooking, and in the
course of few years the poor farmer became
a rich and portly person, who worked with
his men afield during the day, as if he. too,
had to earn his daily bread; but after supper
he liked to sit in his porch, contented and
comfortable and return the kindly greeting
of the folk who passed and who wished him
a respectful good evening.