The Magic Axe of Taleri
Once upon a time, in a quiet village named Taleri, lived a woodcutter named Robert. He lived alone in his small cottage on the outskirts of the village. Robert was known for his good, wits, and friendly nature. However, he lived a life of poverty. Every day, he would walk miles into the forest, cut wood and sell it in the local market.
One day, while Robert was on his usual routines in the forest, he found an old rusty axe stuck in a tree. As he pulled it out, a mysterious old man appeared before him. With a creaky voice, the old man revealed he was the spirit of the forest and thanked Robert for freeing his trapped magic axe.
Robert, a bit skeptical, nodded as he held onto the rusty axe. The spirit with kind eyes offered him three wishes for his sincere effort. This sounded surreal to Robert, but the sparkle in the spirit's eyes convinced him to make his wishes. His first wish was for his mother's health, who had passed away because they could not afford her treatment. However, the spirit apologized, explaining he couldn't dictate life or death.
Robert, instead, wished for a plentiful supply of wood so he could feed himself without laboring every day. Then, he requested for a well in his house so he would no longer need to walk miles for a pot of water. The spirit granted these two wishes and disappeared, leaving the magic axe behind.
The next day, Robert found his cottage surrounded by neatly chopped wood logs and a well, filled with fresh water beside his cottage. He sold the wood to the local market, maintaining his livelihood. The well saved him valuable time and energy that he used to educate himself.
Word about Robert's fortune spread, and he greeted every suspicious eye with the magic axe's tale. Many tried to steal his axe, some even attempted to force wishes out of it. Yet, it seemed that the axe would only work for Robert.
Janet, a humble and kind-hearted girl from the village, quietly observed all this. She lived a similar life to Robert and was moved by his grit and kindness. Over time, they found each other often, sharing laughter, tales, and life. Robert bore his heart one evening, expressing his feelings, and wished his last wish for Janet to feel the same.
To his surprise, Janet beamed at him and confessed that she, too, loved him. This was the best gift Robert received, but it was not from the spirit but Janet's genuine heart.
They got married and lived a life better than what they had dreamt of. Robert shared his wisdom with the villagers, helped them with their needs, and used the magic axe only for the village's betterment. He understood the fine balance between desires and needs, ensuring not to disrupt the harmony of life through his wishes. Janet stood beside Robert, sharing his beliefs and together, they painted a picture of an ideal world.
While each day felt like a magical blessing, life felt meaningful as they saw the well-fed children, the smiling faces, and the thriving village. And, thus, Robert and the village of Taleri lived happily ever after, all thanks to a magical axe.