Kid’s Stories, Hitopadesha Tales – A Weaver’S Wish

Narration:

Once upon a time, a weaver lived in a village. He was a great artist and used to weave beautiful designs on silk-woven clothes. He was a very hard-working person and possessed great skill, but still, he was very poor. He could barely manage to feed his family.

Every day, the weaver would go to the forest to cut down branches from the trees. He would collect the firewood and give it to his wife to cook their food.

One day, as the weaver was about to cut down a tree for firewood, he heard a sweet voice. It came from the thick foliage of the tree. The voice said,

Tree fairy: Please stop! Don’t cut the tree!

Weaver: Hmm I thought I heard some voice; something is around me, hmmm ok let it be I need to finish my work in time, so just don’t mind it.

Tree fairy: Please, don’t cut the tree. Have pity on him.

Weaver: Who are you? Where are you hiding just come in front of me and speak over?

Tree fairy: I am the tree fairy. I have lived in this tree for ages. If you cut this tree, I will become homeless. If you spare my home, I shall grant you a boon. You can wish for anything you want.

Weaver: Do you really mean it?

Tree fairy: I promise that I will grant you whatever you wish for.

Weaver: All right then. I will not cut down this tree, but I must consult my wife about the boon. I’ll go home and ask her what I must wish for. I’ll be back in an hour. Will you wait for me here till then?

Oh! Thanks a lot for sparing my home. You may take your own time and I will wait for you here.

Weaver: Oh! Thank you please wait I will come back soon.

Wife: Dear our hard work has paid now; I thought we should think a lot about the boon which we are going to ask from the tree fairy.

Weaver: Yes, that’s why I came to consult with you, my dear! Now tell me, what boon shall I ask to the tree fairy?

Wife: Ask the tree fairy to make you the king of a large and prosperous kingdom. If she grants you this boon, then we can lead a happy life and be very rich forever.

Weaver: dear! It seems to be a good idea; I will immediately go to the tree fairy and express our wish.

Narration:

Saying so, the weaver rushed back to the forest, on his way he met his best friend. He was a barber. The barber asked him.

Barber: Where are you rushing to, my friend?

Weaver: My dear friend what happened is.

Narration:

The weaver told his friend about the tree fairy and the boon which his wife suggested. On listening to this his friend said.

Barber: Don’t follow your wife’s words. If you become a king, you will always be worried about ruling the people. Most of the year you will be busy fighting wars to protect your kingdom from your enemies. Listen to me carefully now. Just ask the tree fairy to give you another head and an extra pair of hands. This way you can think up more beautiful designs and look around easily with extra eyes. You can work on two looms at one time and produce more silk cloth than you do now. You will earn double of what you get now and have enough to eat and to save for the future.

Weaver: I think this is a brilliant idea, my dear friend. I will immediately go to the tree fairy and ask the same as a boon. thank you, my dear friend.

Baber: You! foolish weaver! Can’t you think of something better than what I suggested? Let me see how you look with two heads and four hands. Am sure you will be very funny.

Narration:

The weaver rushed back to the forest. On reaching the tree he called out loudly,

Weaver: Oh tree fairy, I have come back to express my wish.

Tree fairy: Express your wish and it will be granted right now.

Weaver: Please grant me an extra head and an extra pair of hands.

Narration:

Immediately the weaver got what he wished for. Now he had two heads and four hands. He was very happy. He ran fast towards the village. He wanted to tell this good news to his wife immediately. On the way to the village, some passers-by saw him. They were shocked and frightened to see such a strange creature. Children playing nearby shrieked in fear and ran home. The people thought that he was a monster who had come to eat up the children. So they threw stones at the weaver until he died. His wish was not intelligently thought up and hence it led to his death.

Moral:

So my dear Children did you see what happened to this foolish weaver. He did not think properly before he acted which led him to his death. So, think of the consequences before performing any act.