The Old Well

Topic: A Wishing Well

            In the small village, there was an old man who lives in a hut. His hair was blonde, and his skin was wrinkly. His name was George. His age was 80 old. He didn’t have anyone. His wife had passed away since past 5 years and he didn’t have child. So, he had to work hard for fulfill the daily needs. He worked as wood gatherer. He worked every day in the forest gathering the woods. Then he sold the woods got the money but unfortunately, the prize of the woods was very cheap. So he could only earned little amount of money and it was only enough to buy two piece of bread. Those two pieces of bread which were usually just able to support life only for two days.

            Sometimes the neighbor helped him with giving a food or a little money but he, unluckily was very arrogant man so he always rejected their helpful offering. He thought all people ware pitying at him because he was old and there was nothing which he could do. So, it wasn’t odd if in the end many people didn’t care with him anymore. Not only that, his attitude was very bad, he always got angry, cursing people, and of course that all eventually made the people around him got away from him.

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        One day, the old man was cutting tree in the forest and the sweat began damped his shirt and he got difficult to take breath. Suddenly he saw the old well. He saw it from distance. The old well looks very mysterious because usually in this location there was no a well. He moved near and tried to touch the edge of old well which was full mosses. His eyes looked into the old well fearfully but magically he could not see anything inside the old well. The old well was covered by the darkness. The depth of old well also could not be imagined but surprisingly for after that something from the deep appeared a glow. The glow was bright shined slowly brighter and brighter. The old man got scare and stayed away from the edge of old well. Then the situation around of him with magic changed mystically. The wind begun blowing from any directions and spun and twisted exactly at the top of the old well.

            The light came out of the old well pouring slowly then went round and round the top of the old well. The old man began getting scared. He tried to move and to run away. But alas, he could not move anything. He felt down on the ground. But, surprisingly the light turned into the figure of a beautiful woman with a long dress and had pair of wings attached to her shoulders. Her face was as white as her clothes also white. Her figure looked like a white shadow. Even the trees that stood in the back of her body are also displayed transparent and she smiled to the old man mysteriously.

            “What do you wish? I will do for all of your expectation” she said with soft voice

            “What? Are you sure? But, who are you?” the old man asked with full horror.

            But, unfortunately she just smiled again and didn’t answer anything. She didn’t care the question of that old man.

“So, what do you want?” she asked once more.

            He looked confused and scared “Mmm.. aaa.. I’m hoping to become the richest man in this village” he answered the questions haltingly.

The silence came and everything as if stopped. Nothing moved. She got surprised and stared at the old man with strange look.

“Are you sure?” she asked to the old man seriously with affirmative voice. As if she very was keen to know the truth. Really?

            The old man only stared at her with afraid but she only smiled at him again and again. Her right hand was directed to the old man and after that a glow magically came out from her fingers. The old man was very surprised and he quickly closed his eyes because of the glow was very glaring.

A few minute later, the old man remained still and was waiting to see what would happen? But he didn’t feel anything from his body. He then tried to open his eyes slowly. The first he looked was white glow. Then he thought perhaps now, he had been in heaven. Suddenly his hand feel touched something soft and the glow began to fade. The place where he was there suddenly changed very strange, and the fact was very amazing. Now, his eyes were looking at the place he was sat. He found himself in the room. The room was very large and fulfilled by a variety of antique articles which costs very expensive. He was sitting down on the silk bed. That bed was very soft and he was sure that the bed was made from goose feathers.

Suddenly he heard the door knocked..

Knock.. Knock.. Knock ..

It was sound of the door being knocked from outside and the old man looked puzzled. What should I do? He got stand up from the bed and ran to the window. He was trying to escape from the room. He thought it would be a thief out there but he saw how high the house was. So, he changed his mind because he was on the 3^rd floor.

There is no way to escape then.

“Mr. George? Are you awake? Breakfast is ready..” said a voice from behind of the door.

He listened his name was called. Yeah.. That person outside called his name. That was right.  Eventually, he opened the door. Now, in front of him stood up a beautiful girl in waiters clothing. She looked very beautiful.

“Oh.. Mr. George, you have wake up. Come here, I have prepare for your breakfast, Madam is also already in the dining room waiting for you” she spoke with respect.

“Mm… aaa.. Ok.. I will be right down to the dining room” He replied with rush.

The servant the bowed and afterward she was away to wherever the old man didn’t know. She disappeared mysteriously. The old man looked back at the room. He saw the house was very large. It has lot of large room. A Large room with a large lamp adorned with crystals hanging in the middle of the room. Then many doors lined up next to his room. Now, he begun realized and he maybe was actually granted with his request by the mysterious woman who appeared from the inside of old well.

The old man then walked down to the second floor. From a distance he saw a large dining table that has been filled with variety of delicious foods and fruits. There were a long-haired woman and four children around it. It seemed that the woman didn’t feels there someone noticed and paid attention to her. After moment, she suddenly turned to the old man with surprised.

"Oh ... you've come? Let's eat! The kids are waiting for you.. “ Said the beautiful woman's with hair dangled up to her shoulder freely. The hair was curled.

He moved forward and takes seat in the middle of the dining room. He tried to look at the four children. The children were two boys and two girls. It was very odd, he just expected to become a rich but he got more than what he expected before. He had a beautiful woman as his wife and four children? It was a very surprising thing.

After everyone had finished their meal, the atmosphere was getting quiet. The woman who apparently was his new wife suddenly got up from her chair and followed by their children after that. They walked towards the stairs. They went up the stairs after they turned toward the old man. They smiled sweetly to him, but then their smile turned into hatred and sadness. He was very confused to saw their expression changed and he walked up to approach them and ask what really happened.

The old man begun stride to get near to his wife and her children, but they continue their walk down the stairs to the first floor. He ran quickly to catch up them, but he could not catch them. They as if have the power run very fast, and then they disappeared from his sight. Top of F

Now The old man found himself  stood at a very spacious yard. Not long after that he ssuddenly, his ears herd a noise from somewhere, but he continued running  to find where the sound was coming from. Eventually, he found the source of voice. The voice was springing from his front fence.  In front of the yard there are hundreds of villagers gathered near the fence. Their faces were creepy. They were angry and farious. They began throwing dirty words out of their mouths when they looked at him. He was standing  faced them, and they begun clutch their dagger and sword blades in their hands. Even the most surprising thing was, his new wife and her children also were standing among the crowd of villagers. They also looked him filled with hatred. The old man became  very scared and confused to see what happened to him. And, actulaly he didn’t know what to do.

The Villagers continued to push the fences, and finally, the fence collapsed because it was not able to resist the urge of them anymore. They were soon running into the yard and tried to chase the old man.  While they chased the old man, they were  raising  daggers and swords in their  hands. The old man ran out of the house through the back door. Then, fortunately he found a bush and he tried to hide among the bushes to save him self, but he was peered villagers from the bushes. He could saw the villagers shouting his name  angrily. He tried to remain silently and quietly and hoped that they could not find him in his hiding place.

Suddenly, there was voice calling his name softly.

"George .. George ..."

He tried to turn his body and look around. He was surprised to fin his wife who was died few years ago standing there. His name was Rose but, she looked still beautiful. She wore the white dress. He lived with her  for  60 years. The old man looked very happy for he could meet with Rose.  Really he missed her, and now she appeared in front of him exactly?

Impossible and incredible thing, but it happened.

"Rose .. is this really you?" The old man said, and he seemed unconvinced.

"Yeah, it's me Rose, Geoge. your wife" she answered and smiled softly.

"Oh Rose .. I really missed you"

The old man then began to rise. He got out  from his hiding place and approached Rose.

"I am too, but I was disappointed to see you like this, George. I think you are going to live well after I have gone.” said Rose.

"Ahh.. This is really not as what you think, Rose. I have absolutely not known what was going on" George tried to explain confusedly.

"I know everything George. Since you become rich, you buy all the agricultural land and you don’t allow the villagers to work in your field. Even when you lend your money to someone, you take the advantage from these loans. I also know, when you had forced an impoverished farmer to marry his doughter to you because they can’t pay off your debt ", said Rose

"What?? I do this all?? No ... That are not true ... I can’t possibly do that all. I still love you! Forever!” The old man started to be in depression.

"I am really disappointed with you, George.. I guess, you will live in a hut in which has been our home and will continue to love me until you die”     

  Rose looked very sad.

"It’s not me! Rose.. Trust me, please... “ He shouted.

The old man tried to grab her hand, but he could not grab her hand. He incessantly called Rose and continued to chase the shadows of his wife until he entered into the forest. Suddenly, he stopped at an old well. The same old well where it came out the strange woman in the past.

The entire problems made him stared angrily to the old well.

"What actually occur??? I only hope to be rich!! Why what actually happen like that!" He screamed towards the old well.

The old man cried on the edge of the old well. Occasionally he called the name of his wife, Rose. He hoped that his wife would come back and he could explain to her: what really happened.

Without his knowing, that the same figure emerged from the old well. On the back him there was shadow woman with a beautiful white dress and wings. Then, she  smiled happier when she viewed the old man cried. He seemed to realize that she had appeared for the old well. He immediately stood up and looked at her angrily.

"What have been going on? Why did all this happen?" the old man shouted angrily, but the woman just smiled looked at his emotion.

"That is your expectation. You want to be rich and I grant it." She said softly

"But why with the resident of the village, and also his wife and children in my house?" George looks confused by all these.

"That all is what will happen if you become rich. If you got richer, the worse things you will get”

“That was not possible! That's not possible! “ He yelled back.

"Try to ask yourself. Ask  your heart and your  mind. What do you ask was a good hope? "

The old man was silent. He looked at her and thought about what was she saying. The woman smiled again and she saw that him was silent and didn’t know what to say. He perhaps got confused.

"Now, I’ll give you one more wish. What do you really expect?"

The old man was silent and he closed his eyes. This time he tried to think the deepest of his heart, and think about what he really expected. A few seconds later he opened his eyes and smiled.

"I hope I can be with my wife who I love dearly, Rose .." He said quietly

"Are you sure" She was asked full of smiled

"Yeahh.. As long as this is true, I hope only to continue to be in could make Rose happy” the woman kept smiled to see the old man.

"Well.. I will do.. “She replied and smiled, satisfied to hear his answered.

Not as before, the woman instantly vanished and the old man’s wife appeared on front him in return. She hovered above the old well. Her face looked so happy. They both gave each other a smiled. He touched her arm. He  was very happy. Instantaneously, he joined drift with Rose in the air. The body and  color of him suddenly changed. Also the clothes  George wore changed. Everything was white and glowing like a Rose’s.

Eventually, they  hold  each other  their  arms and hugged  each other tightly. Vaguely, the second ghost has also disappeared in the sun and a clump of trees. The only remained then was figure of  the old man in lifeless, leaning on the edge of the old well.

That's life.  To hold  a wish we must firstly to think it well. Only a wish which we have thought well is the good wish. We are not allowed to loose our selves and controlled by a wishful thing. A wish that really vacant or will destroy our lives.  GBU.

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