The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1889-02-16
THE WISH RING.
[AFrKR rnE GERMAN on RICHARD LKANDrR.


maiden. lie was working in great forest. a
days journey from his native village, and was
busted with the telling OF an old oak tree. As
the noble tree crashed to the earth. there came
limping out OF n rotten hollow in the trunk an
old grandam She told him that she was a
fairy, that wicked magician had bewitched
her, and that the wood cutter had at last
delivered her from her long imprisonment
She W ished to prove her gratitude to him and
make him "A present. There was an eagle :
nest in the top of the PROSTATE tree and in It
lay solitary egg. The fairy took the egg and
broke It. \ plain ring dropped from it.-a ring
of brass. Take this ring as thy reward" she
said. ''it looks common and worthless but 1t
is wish-ring; wish whatsoever thy heart de
sires AMI thou shalt get II. But mark me we'll
there Is but one wish IN IL"
The fairy gave the poor wood-cutter the
ring and vanished.
Any other man would have left hIs work and
made a good wish At once. But Peter-such
was the woodlands name-did not do that.
There is no hurry, !" he said to himself. "snd
then l must go home hrst and talk with my
wife about it," lie faithfully completed his
work, and then with light and joyous heart.
wendell his way homeward.
On the way, he passed through great city
Ii had meantime become evening, and as ne
walked with nrm step through the lighted
streets, he saw b. the right and left the bril-
liant and dazzling windows Of the shops. At
other times he had asked himself as he saw
the wealth of articles on show: "Canst thou
purchase this or that But today he view Ell
them all with princely pride, as IL To say al
could have them all. | need but to wish II
and they are mine. But no! I'll wish me
something better"
While thus talking to- himself he pau sed he
fore the show window of a jewelers. shop.
All! how many costly rings there were behind
those great panes of glassi The goldsmith
stool IN the doorway near by, having just quit
work. "weli, stranger" he said, wouldn't
you like to buy something of me?" And there.
with he secretly examined the wood ter,
to see whether, perhaps, he was able TO pay
the price of 4 gold ring. mo, master gold.
smith" Peter answered, and turned to him
with sparkling eyes. Look here, this PLAIN
little ring on my finger is worth m ore than all
your rings so precious, all your pearls, all
your Jewels and trinkets, tits wish ring -
he added in an undertone, and told how he
had come 10y II.
In those days-at the time OF our story
wish rings were not uncommon. The gold.
smith was shrewd fellow. and. as he saw
that honest Peter was incapable of lie, he at
once believed the story that was told him.
But he Was greedy and covetous. 81 must
have that ring" he said to himself and he
called out pleasantly to the woodsman
stranger. YOU are n favorite of fortune A
man like you brings good luck to every man e
house. What a pleasure IL would be to enter
tain you'll Step IN with me. be my guest, and
a hearty welcome TO you"
Peter suspected nothing wrong and allow ell
himself To lie led into the house by the over
friendly goldsmith. The goldsmith had hi !
maid get good supper ready. for the old mig
gard had neither wife nor child, and brought
out his best and heaviest wines for his guest.
Peter was tired from his days work and hi q
long Journey. and had grown hungry and
thirsty. At the sight Of the good wines that
he had never yet tasted in his life he became
talkAtrve. and soon after he sank into a deep
and heavy sleep. Then the goldsmith pulled
the ring from the finger of his guest, and put
common brass one in it's place. The next
morning, at day break. he awoke his guest, got
him his breakfast with his own hands, and
wished him God speed. Before opening his
shop, he went down into the fire proof vault
of his house, put the ring on his finger and
said: LET there rain hard Prussian dollars
ten times one hundred thousand of them. y
And loi down from the roof they came, and
fell like hailstones, fast and furious, upon the
floor beneath But many of them fell upon the
head of the goldsmith. and he plunged sense
less 20 the ground; still more rained upon
him, and he was crushed TO death. Down they
came still, until there really were ten times
one hundred thousand of them. Not a single
one was missing. But the goldsmith lay dead