An amusing story but with a deep and strong moral, for it encourages wisdom in exploiting available opportunities so that a person realizes his dreams and aspirations, and that a person strives to exploit the capabilities available to him now to change his condition and circumstances, and not live complacently.
Story Events: One day in one of the countries, a poor woodcutter lived with his wife in a small house. The woodcutter would go out every morning, carry the axe on his shoulder, go to the forest, cut trees, split wood, then return to the market to sell wood and obtain an amount of money sufficient for his living.
The Woodcutter and the Giant Tree: One day, the poor woodcutter woke up heading toward the forest. He was happy as he roamed among the beautiful nature. The woodcutter stood before a very large tree. He thought to himself and resolved to cut the entire tree to get more wood that would provide him with more money when selling it. The woodcutter believed that this money he would obtain would be enough for his entire life.
The Golden Opportunity: The woodcutter raised his axe to cut the tree, but he heard a voice saying: Please do not cut this tree. The woodcutter stopped and looked here and there, but did not find anything. The woodcutter believed that this voice was nothing but mere illusion. Then the woodcutter held the axe again and targeted the tree, but he heard the same words again: Please, do not cut this tree.
The woodcutter stopped again and began searching everywhere, but he could not see any person. This matter was extremely puzzling. The woodcutter stood for minutes looking at the tree.
He heard a voice saying: I am a genie living inside this tree since ancient time. During winter season, I live in the trunk of this tree, while for the rest of the year, I live in its branches. If you cut this tree, I will be without shelter. Winter will approach quickly, and I will die from cold. Please do not destroy my home, and I will fulfill three wishes you wish for instead of that.
The Woodcutter Tells His Wife: The woodcutter was very happy. Now he could be rich without doing any work. The woodcutter hurried to his home to tell his wife about this. His wife was awaiting him as usual, and was surprised to see the woodcutter at a very early time.
She said to him: Why did you return early today? And happiness appears on you. What is the matter? May I know? The woodcutter answered: I obtained a great treasure today, and although it has not come yet, I will obtain the treasure soon. The woodcutter began dancing, but his wife could not understand anything. She said to him: Tell me clearly what is the story.
The Woodcutter Tells the Secret of the Giant Tree: The woodcutter told the entire incident to his wife. His wife jumped with joy. The woodcutter said: I am hungry, give me something to eat. His wife said: I am accustomed to returning in the evening, so I have not prepared anything until now, but wait, and I will prepare quick food for you. The woodcutter said: No, do not cook anything. There is a genie in the tree who can fulfill any three wishes for me. The first wish will be a plate of hot pastries.
As soon as the woodcutter said these words, a large plate of hot pastries came before him. The woodcutter ate until he felt extreme satiety. Then he also asked his wife to eat from the plate of delicious pastries, but she was extremely angry.
The woodcutter’s wife said: You have wasted a grace that was between our hands. Now I wish the pastries would stick to your nose so you would remember what you did. You have wasted one of the three wishes. As soon as the woodcutter’s wife finished that invocation, the contents of the pastries plate stuck to the woodcutter’s nose.
The woodcutter was annoyed and angry. He said to her: What is this foolish behavior? The woodcutter began scolding his wife who had wasted the second wish. The woodcutter said: If only those hot pastries would disappear from my nose so I could speak freely, I would scold you for your foolish behavior. As soon as the woodcutter finished his sentence, the pastries stuck to his nose disappeared.
Lack of Wisdom Wastes the Golden Opportunity: In this way, the woodcutter and his wife lost the golden opportunity to become rich. Although fortune had knocked on their door, they failed to seize the opportunity and remained poor. The cause was their lack of wisdom.
Translated from story: THREE WISHES