Three Wishes

"Get your cheap wishes here! Just three for $100!" the medieval faire vendor called out.

"I bet they're not real wishes," Ben said.

"They're fairy certified!" the vendor said as he pulled out the certification for him to read.

"Prove it," Ben challenged.

"I’m sorry Sir, but no free samples," the vendor replied, walking away.

"Wait up," Ben called. "I'll buy three."

The vendor took Ben's money then handed him three tokens. "Find a wishing well and toss one coin in per wish. But be careful for what you wish for, because you might not get what you expect."

Ben put the tokens in his pocket then wandered around the world for several months looking for a wishing well. The vendor’s warning was soon gone from his thoughts.

During his travels, he’d felt alone and wanted someone to travel with. Ben didn’t want to marry just anyone though, he wanted to marry the most beautiful woman in the world. When he finally found a wishing well he threw a coin in and wished for the most beautiful woman.

A woman appeared next to him but she wasn't beautiful. In fact, Ben thought she was very ugly. When she spoke, however, he discovered she was a beautiful person on the inside. But that’s not what he had wished for.

“I can’t marry someone so ugly,” Ben said and sent her away.

“Stupid wishing well,” he grumbled. If he were wealthy, he could get any woman he wanted to marry him and he wouldn’t have to rely on the wishing well to give him a beautiful wife. Ben threw another token into the wishing well.

“I want to be rich,” he said as the coin hit the water.

He headed to a nearby bank to check his accounts. They hadn’t changed and he was still poor. Instead, he felt a richness in his life and every new experience made him feel richer.

“Bah! This not what I wanted!” he lamented. Ben ignored the feelings and they soon faded, leaving him feeling like himself again.

Ben went back to the wishing well and thanklessly kicked it. “Stupid thing! You’ve not given me anything I wished for. I wish you’d never existed!” Ben said angrily. The last token slipped from his hand and fell into the well.

“No! I wasn’t ready!” Ben cried out as he jumped into the wishing well after the token. There was a loud splash then Ben and the wishing well disappeared. He was never heard from again.

© April 26, 2011