“He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.” ― Socrates

 The three wishes

There once was a poor woodsman who worked hard to provide a living for himself and his wife. One day, as he was about to cut down a fine oak tree, a mall voice cried: Please don’t cut down my tree! The woodsman, in great surprise, stopped and looked about him. He saw no one so one more he lifted his axe. Just as he started to swing it, however, he heard the voice again: Please Mr. Woodsman, don’t harm my tree! 

Again the woodsman stopped, and this time he looked very hard for the owner of the voice. But still he could find no one, and once more he raised his axe. Just then there appeared before him a little man dressed all in green. Don’t , I beg of you, cut down my tree, said the little man. It is my home, and if it is destroyed I shall have nowhere to live. The woodsman, who was a kindly man, agreed, and the little man in green was so grateful that he told the woodsman that he would grant him the first three wishes he and his wife might make, whatever they were. 

The poor man , overjoyed at his good fortune, thanked his little friend and rushed home to tell his wife. Just think, he exclaimed. Now we can have the cottage, the cow, and the chickens for which we have always wished. Stupid, replied his wife. If we can have whatever we like, why not wish for something far finer? I could be a queen and you a prince, and we could live in a golden castle with crystal windows. But the man had his heart set on a pretty cottage. If he had to have a fine castle , he saw no reason why it must be of gold. And so he and his wife argued all day and far into naught about what they should wish for. The fire in the stove went out, and neither of them thought of eating. 

Late at night, though , the woodsman suddenly realized that he had not eaten all day. My , but I am hungry, he said. I do wish I had a bit of sausage. And there in front of him appeared the most delicious-looking sausage you can imagine. Idiot, cried his wife, almost weeping with anger. You have used up your first wish. You and your stupid sausage. Now the woodsman began to lose patience. Oh, I wish the sausage were on the end of your nose, he cried. And there was the sausage, long and shiny, hanging from the end of his wife’s nose. The poor woman burst into tears of rage. Now your second wish is gone, she cried. But we can still have your castle, said the woodcutter, half frightened at what had happened. Don’t you dare wish for a castle, screamed his wife. What kind of a fine lady would I make this sausage on my nose? You get it off. So the woodsman said solemnly, I wish the sausage were off the end of my wife’s nose. Instantly the sausage disappeared into the air, and the woodcutter and his wife sat there in silence. 

They had had their three wishes.