Two boons from well of miracles

Two boons  from well  of miracles

BY

P.R.Ramachander

(it is an old folk tale that  I have read,)

One  greedy   merchant , who thought  he is intelligent,

Was once   driving back in his      empty  cart  , through  a forest.

He was very   thirsty    and he saw   a well  in the wilderness,

But   when he    attempted to draw   water    from that  well,

“Who is   taking water  from this  well of miracles   guarded  by me?”

And the merchant   with shaking    voice  managed to utter,

“I am a poor  trader  going home   and I am very thirsty?”

Then the   ghost guarding the well  replied in a loud tone,

“ You can ask anything   from me   including water  ,

After  putting   a gold coin in the   well, onlt two rtimes”

The greedy merchant thought, why waste  a gold coin for water,

And  after putting  a gold coin he asked”I want a  cartload  of jewels and diamonds”

And immediately   his cart was  filled   with what he asked.

The merchant  then thought, it is risky  to take these  through forest,

And again put a gold coin and asked ”These  should not be  visible to others”

And the ghost said “So be it”   and on the way  , he met several  dacoits,

Who asked him, “Poor merchant, you were  not able to get anything “

And with great  joy he reached  home , called  every one  in his home,

And said , “see our cart filled   with  shining   costly   gems and jewels.”

And they all  laughed at him  and said , “Are you mad for you have an empty cart”,

And then only he realized  what a  mad boon he asked  , from the ghost.