Once upon a time there was a man, who after getting lost in the dark, sheltered in the trunk of a hollow tree. In the middle of the night, a large group of fairies appeared, and the man, peeping out from his hiding place, was frightened out of his wits. After a while, the fairies began to eat and drink, sing and dance. The man, wanting to join in the fun, forgot all about his fright, and crept out of his hollow tree to join in.
As the sun began to rise, the fairies said to the man, "You're very jolly and must come out and dance with us again. Promise us." So, to make sure the man would return, the elves took a large wart that grew on his forehead and kept it.
The man left for his house in glee, both at having passed a great night, and getting rid of his wart. He told the story to all his friends, who were pleased that he was cured of his wart.
His neighbor, who was also trouble with a wart, was jealous, and went to find the hollow tree.
Towards midnight the fairies came, as he had expected, and began feasting and drinking, with songs and dances as before. As soon as he saw this, he came out of his hollow tree, and began dancing and singing as his neighbor had done. The fairies, thinking he was the first man, were delighted to see him, and said, "You're a good fellow to keep you promise, so we'll give you back your wart." With that, once of the fairies pulled the wart out of his pocket, and stuck it onto the man's forehead, on the top of the other wart that he already had.
The envious neighbor went home weeping, with two warts instead of one. This is a good lesson... people should be pleased for the good luck of others, without wanting it for themselves.
By Algernon Freeman-Mitford
Copyright Ⓒ Miles Kelly Publishing Ltd 2011
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