The Three Wishes
by Unknown · from Tales of Laughter: A third fairy book
Adapted Version
An old man and woman lived. They lived in a small house. They were not happy.
Old Man worked hard. Old Woman worked hard. They had little. They saw their friends. Their friends had more. Old Man wanted a big farm. Old Woman wanted a new house. They wanted things.
Old Woman said, "I want these things. I want my wishes to come true. I want them now."
Then a small fairy came. She was very small. She had a crown. She wore a white dress. She had a small gold stick. She heard their words.
The Fairy said, "I heard you. I give you three wishes. One for you. One for you. One for both of you. Think about it. I will come back."
Old Man was happy. Old Woman was happy. They had many ideas. They did not know what to wish. They waited. They would wish tomorrow.
The next day came. They talked about food. Old Man said, "Our friend had good food." Old Woman said, "I want black pudding now."
A black pudding appeared. It was on the fire. It looked very good. Her wish came true.
Old Man was very angry. "You wanted food too much!" he said. "We have one wish left. I wish it was on your nose!"
The black pudding moved. It was on Old Woman's nose. His wish came true.
Old Woman was very sad. She tried to take it off. She could not. She said, "Your mean words did this!"
She said, "I want one thing. I want the black pudding off my nose. This is my last wish."
Old Man said, "No! Wish for a house. Wish for money." Old Woman said, "No! I want this off. I want it gone now."
The next night, the Fairy came back. She asked for their last wish. Old Woman said, "Take this off!" The black pudding was gone.
They had no more wishes. They learned a lesson. Wanting many things is not good. Be happy with what you have.
They were happy again. They learned to be happy with things. They did not wish for more things.
Original Story
The Three Wishes
Many years ago there was an old married man, who, although poor, had worked very diligently all his life on his little piece of ground. One winter’s night, as this old man was seated with his wife in front of their comfortable hearth in social chat, instead of giving thanks to God for the benefits they enjoyed, they spent the time in enumerating the good things possessed by their neighbors, and in wishing that they belonged to them.
“Instead of my little hut, which is on bad soil, and only fit to house a donkey in, I would like to have the farm of old Polainas!” exclaimed the old man.
“And I,” added his wife, who was annoyed that he did not aspire higher, “instead of that, would like to have our neighbor’s house, which is nearly new.”
“And I,” continued her husband, “instead of our old donkey, which can scarcely carry an empty sack, would like to have Polainas’s mule!”
“And I,” exclaimed the wife, “would like to have such a fat porker as our neighbor has to kill! Some people seem only to wish for a thing in order to get it. How I should like to see my wishes accomplished!”
Scarcely had she uttered these words, than they beheld a most beautiful little woman standing in front of the fire. She was so small that her height could not have been more than eighteen inches, while she wore a crown like a queen’s upon her head. Her tunic and veil were almost transparent, and seemed made of white smoke, while the sparks from the fire crackled and jumped like fireworks about her, and sparkled around her as glittering spangles.
In her hand she bore a little golden scepter, the end of which was formed by a gleaming ruby.
8“I am the Fairy Fortunata,” said she to them; “I was passing by here, and I have heard your complaints. I have so much anxiety to accomplish your desires that I come to promise you the realization of three wishes: one to you,” she said to the wife; “the other to you,” to the husband, “and the third must be mutual and agreeable to the desire of you both. This last I will agree to in person to-morrow, when I will return at this time; and until then I leave you to think of what it shall be.”
When she had said these words, the beautiful fairy sprang through the flames and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
The delight of the worthy couple may be imagined, and the number of wishes, numerous as suitors at the door of a minister, which presented themselves to their minds. Their desires were so many that, not knowing which to select, they determined to defer the definite decision to the following day. After having had all the night to think the matter over, they began to discuss entirely different things, and in a little while their conversation recurred to their wealthy neighbors.
“I was at their house to-day,” said the husband; “they were making black puddings. Ah, such black puddings! It would have done you good to see them!”
“I would like to have one of them here,” replied the wife, “to roast on the ashes for supper.”
Scarcely had she uttered the words than there appeared upon the ashes the most delicious-looking black pudding that could possibly be imagined.
The woman remained staring at it with open mouth and eyes starting out of her head. But her husband jumped up in despair, and after striding up and down the room, tearing his hair in desperation, said: “Through your gluttony, you greedy woman, we have lost one of the wishes! Good Heavens, what a woman this is! More stupid than a goose! It makes me desperate; I detest you and the black pudding, too, and I wish it were stuck on to your nose!”
No sooner had he spoken than there was the black pudding hanging from the place indicated!
9Then was the old man struck with horror and his wife with desperation!
“You see what you have done, evil tongue!” exclaimed she, as she made useless exertions to tear the appendage from her nose; “if I employed my wish badly, at least it was to my own disadvantage, and not to the injury of any one else; but the sin carries its punishment with it, for I will not have any other wish, nor desire anything else than that the black pudding be taken off my nose.”
“Wife, for Heaven’s sake! What of the new house?”
“Nothing!”
“Wife, for Heaven’s sake, think of the farm!”
“It does not matter.”
“My dear, let us wish for a fortune, and then we will have a golden case for the black pudding.”
“I will not hear of it.”
“Then you would have us left just as we were before?”
“That is all that I wish for.”
And for all that the man could say, nothing could alter his wife’s determination, who grew more and more enraged with her double nose, and could scarcely keep off the dog and the cat, who both wished to make free with it.
When, on the following night, the fairy appeared and asked them what was their last wish, they said to her: “We see how blind and foolish it is of men to fancy that the realization of their wishes will make them happy.”
Nor is happiness in the accomplishment of our wishes, but rather in the not having any. He is rich who possesses what he wants; but happy is he who wishes for nothing.
Story DNA
Moral
True happiness is found not in the fulfillment of desires, but in desiring nothing, and being content with what one has.
Plot Summary
A poor, discontented old couple spends their time wishing for their neighbors' possessions. A fairy, Fortunata, appears and grants them three wishes. Overwhelmed, they decide to wait, but the wife impulsively wishes for a black pudding for supper. Enraged by her folly, the husband wishes the black pudding were stuck to her nose. With only one wish left, and the wife refusing to wish for anything but the removal of the black pudding, they use their final wish to return to their original state, having learned that true happiness lies in contentment.
Themes
Emotional Arc
hope to despair to resignation
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
This tale reflects common folk wisdom about the dangers of greed and the importance of appreciating one's current circumstances, prevalent in many pre-industrial societies.
Plot Beats (14)
- An old, poor, but hardworking couple complain about their meager possessions and covet their neighbors' wealth.
- The wife expresses a strong desire to see her wishes accomplished.
- A tiny, beautiful fairy named Fortunata appears, having overheard their complaints.
- Fortunata grants them three wishes: one for the wife, one for the husband, and a third mutual wish to be decided by tomorrow.
- The couple is overjoyed but overwhelmed by choices, deciding to postpone their decisions until the next day.
- The next day, while discussing their wealthy neighbors, the wife impulsively wishes for a black pudding to roast for supper.
- A delicious black pudding immediately appears on the ashes, fulfilling the wife's wish.
- The husband is furious at his wife's gluttony and wasted wish, and in his anger, wishes the black pudding were stuck to her nose.
- The black pudding instantly attaches itself to the wife's nose, fulfilling the husband's wish.
- The wife is horrified and tries in vain to remove the black pudding, blaming her husband's 'evil tongue'.
- The wife declares that her only desire for the final wish is to have the black pudding removed from her nose.
- The husband tries to persuade her to wish for a house, a farm, or fortune, but she refuses, determined to be rid of the appendage.
- The next night, the fairy returns and the couple, having learned their lesson, use their final wish to remove the black pudding.
- The couple realizes that happiness comes not from fulfilling wishes, but from desiring nothing and being content.
Characters
The Old Man
A man of advanced years, likely with a lean build from a lifetime of diligent work on his small piece of ground. His hands would be calloused and weathered.
Attire: Simple, worn peasant clothing typical of a poor farmer in an unspecified European setting, likely made of coarse wool or linen in muted, natural colors. Perhaps a tunic, trousers, and a simple vest, all well-mended.
Wants: To improve his and his wife's poor circumstances, to acquire the possessions of his wealthier neighbors.
Flaw: Impulsiveness, short temper, susceptibility to complaining and envy, and a tendency to blame others.
Starts as a discontented, envious man, makes a foolish wish out of anger, and ends by realizing the folly of wishing for material things and finding happiness in contentment.
Diligent, discontented, easily swayed by his wife's desires, prone to despair and anger, ultimately learns humility.
The Old Woman
An old woman, likely of a similar lean build to her husband, reflecting a life of poverty and hard work. Her most distinguishing feature becomes the black pudding stuck to her nose.
Attire: Simple, practical peasant attire, likely a long, dark-colored linen or wool dress, perhaps with a plain apron over it, all well-worn and mended. Her clothing would be functional for a poor household.
Wants: To acquire better possessions and food, to escape their poverty.
Flaw: Gluttony, impulsiveness, stubbornness, and a tendency to prioritize immediate gratification over long-term gain.
Starts as a discontented, envious woman, makes a foolish wish out of gluttony, suffers a humiliating consequence, and through her stubbornness, forces the final wish to undo the damage, leading to a realization about happiness.
Discontented, ambitious (for her circumstances), greedy, impulsive, stubborn, quick to blame, ultimately resolute in her final wish.
Fairy Fortunata
Extremely small, no more than eighteen inches tall, with a delicate and ethereal appearance. Her form seems to be made of white smoke, with sparks from the fire crackling around her like spangles.
Attire: A transparent tunic and veil, appearing to be made of white smoke. She wears a crown like a queen's upon her head.
Wants: To fulfill desires and perhaps to teach a lesson about the nature of happiness.
Flaw: None apparent; she is a powerful magical being.
Acts as a catalyst for the main characters' learning, observing their choices and returning to confirm their final decision.
Benevolent, observant, grants wishes, but also allows mortals to learn from their own folly.
Locations
The Old Couple's Hut
A small, humble hut, described as being 'on bad soil' and only fit for a donkey. Inside, it features a 'comfortable hearth' where the old couple sits. The interior is likely simple, with basic furnishings typical of a poor, diligent couple's home in a European setting.
Mood: Initially cozy and conversational, later shifts to frantic and desperate.
The couple makes their initial wishes, the Fairy Fortunata appears, and later, the black pudding appears and gets stuck to the wife's nose, leading to the resolution of their wishes.