Papa Joe ~ Telling Tales

For A Wish ~ adapted from a Swedish folktale.

Once upon a time, there was a little boy and his name was Joey.

Joey sat around all the time saying, “I wish...  I wish I had...  I wish I had a knife.  Oh yes!  If I had a knife, I could carve things with it.  That would be great fun.  I wish I had a knife.

“Oh, oh!  I wish...  I wish I had...  I wish I had a sled.  Yes, yes!  If I had a sled, I could go sliding with my friends.  That would be great fun.  I wish I had a sled.

“Wait. Oh wait!  I know!  I wish...  I wish I had...  I wish I had a sleigh.  That would be even better than a sled.  If I had a sleigh with two big beautiful horses, I could go anywhere.

“All my friends would ask for rides and I would say ‘YES!'  I wish I had a sleigh.

“Even better.  I wish...  I wish I had...  I wish I had a castle.  Oh, that would be so cool.  If I had a castle, all my friends would want to come visit me and I would say ‘YES!'  I wish I had a castle.

“Oh.  Oh.  Oh!  The Best!  I wish...  I wish I had...  I wish I had three big chests of gold.  Oh, if I had three big chests of gold I could buy anything I wanted.  Yes!  I wish I had three big chests of gold."

But Joey wasn't likely to get any of those things.  You see he didn't have a mother.  So she couldn't get him anything.  And his father...  His father was so poor, he couldn't even afford to buy Joey breakfast, so he wasn't going to buy him a castle.  Was he?  No way!  Castles cost a lot more than breakfast.

Did that stop Joey from wishing?  No, it did not.  All morning, Joey sat around saying, “I wish...  I wish...  I wish..."  All afternoon, Joey sat around saying, “I wish...  I wish...  I wish..."   All evening, Joey sat around saying, “I wish...  I wish...  I wish..."  From sun up to sun down, that's all Joey said.

One day, Joey's uncle came to visit him.  When he heard Joey's wishes he said, “Joey, you're not going to get anything just sitting around wishing for things."

Joey said, “I wish I could."

Joey's uncle said, “You have to do something to make your wishes come true."

Joey said, “I wish I didn't have to."

Joey's uncle said, “Oh Joey!  I can see you need some help.  I do remember that I heard a way to make wishes come true.  Would you like to hear it?"

Joey said, “I wish you would tell me."

Joey's uncle said, “I heard that if you could put salt on a bird's tail,  you could make wishes until the salt fell off and all the wishes would come true."

Joey said, “I wish that was true."

After that, Joey didn't sit around all day saying, “I wish...  I wish...  I wish..."  He put some salt in his pocket and went out into the forest to find some birds.

Do you think he found any birds in the forest?  Of course he did.  Lots of birds.  Flocks of  Blue Jays.  Gaggles of Geese.  Murders of Crows.  (Did you know that's what you call a group of crows?  A murder.)

But every time Joey got close to the birds...Brrrrrrrwwop!  They'd fly away.  Joey tried to sneak up on the birds, but whenever he got close...Brrrrrrrwwop!  They'd fly away.  No matter how quiet or slow Joey went, whenever he got close to a bird...Brrrrrrrwwop!  It would fly away.

Joey had to think about how he could get a bird to let him come near.  He thought that maybe if he gave them some bread, they'd let him come near.  Do you think it will work?  We'll see.

So after that, when Joey went out into the forest he had salt in one pocket and bread in the other.

He threw the bread to the birds.  They all flew down to eat it.  Then Joey tried to put some salt on their tails, but...Brrrrrrrwwop!  Brrrrrrrwwop!  Brrrrrrrwwop!  They flew away.

Joey tried and tried and tried, but every time he tried... Brrrrrrrwwop!  Brrrrrrrwwop!  Brrrrrrrwwop!  They flew away.  Finally, he thought, ‘Maybe if I make friends with one bird, that bird will let me put salt on its tail and I can make my wish.'

So Joey looked at all the birds in the forest.  He saw big birds, small birds, and middle sized birds.  He saw fat birds, thin birds, and medium birds.  He saw bright birds, dull birds, and fancy birds.

Then he saw a beautiful bird.  It was red and blue, yellow and green, orange and purple, all the colors of the rainbow.  That was the bird he decided to make his friend.

So every day, Joey fed bread to that bird.  And every day the bird let Joey get closer and closer and closer till Joey was close enough to sprinkle some salt on its tail.  So he tried and...Brrrrrrrwwop!  Brrrrrrrwwop!  Brrrrrrrwwop!  It flew away.

Joey cried, “Oh bird!  I wish you would let me put salt on your tail."

The bird answered, “Oh no!  I'd never do that!"

Joey was surprised to hear the bird talk.  “I didn't know birds could talk."

“Well, Joey.  Common birds don't talk.  But I'm not a common bird.  I used to be a princess till a wicked mean person put a spell on me and turned me into a bird.  That's why I can talk."

Joey said, “That's too bad you got turned into a bird.  But I'm glad you can talk.  I wish we could be friends Princess Bird."

She liked it when Joey called her ‘Princess Bird'.  “Well Joey, you seem like a nice boy. I think we can be friends."

Joey got really excited.  “Good!  Then will you sit on my hand and let me sprinkle salt on your tail?"

“Oh no, Joey!  A princess would never let some one put salt on her tail."

“But Princess Bird, if you sat on my hand and let me put salt on your tail, I could make wishes and they would come true.  I'd do anything to put salt on your tail and make wishes."

The Princess bird said, “Anything?"

Joey said, "Anything!"

“Well Joey, I could use something.  When I was a princess, I had the most lovely fingernails.  I had a pretty little knife to trim them.  But now I'm a bird and my claws are all rough.  If I had a knife to trim my claws all the birds would say, ‘Oh what pretty claws, she must be a Princess Bird.'  That would make me happy.  If you gave me a knife, I'd let you put salt on my tail and make your wishes."

Joey said, “All right, I'll get you a knife."

But where was Joey going to get a knife?  He didn't have any money to buy one.  Then he looked around the forest and saw all the sticks and branches lying around.

He thought, ‘If I gather up wood and take it to the village, I can sell the wood to the people in the village to burn for fires.  The people will give me pennies.  I'll use the pennies to buy a knife for the Princes Bird.  She'll let me put the salt on her tail and I'll finally get my wishes.'

So every day, Joey gathered wood.  Every day, he carried the wood into the village and sold it for pennies.  And after a couple of weeks, he had enough pennies to buy a knife.  He bought the best knife he could find.  Then he took the knife into the forest and called the Princess Bird.  “Princess.  Princess.  Princess Bird."

Brrrrrrrwwop!  Up flew the Princess Bird.  “Oh Joey!  Oh Joey!  Oh Jooooey!  Do you have a knife for me?  I'm so excited Joey.  I'm so excited."

Joey showed her the knife.  “Here it is.  It's the best knife around."

The Princess Bird looked at the knife and sighed.  “Oh Joey, is that knife made out of steel?"

“Yes, Princess Bird.  The best steel knife I could buy."

“Oh Joey, I'm sorry.  It's a common knife.  Princesses need silver knives.  If the birds saw me with that knife, they'd say, ‘That's just a common knife.  She's just a common bird, not a Princess at all.'  “I'm so sorry Joey, that knife's not good enough for a princess."

Joey sighed.  “That's all right, Princess Bird.  I'll just take this knife back to the store.  I'll earn more pennies and when I get enough I'll buy you a silver knife."

But the Princess Bird said, “Actually, Joey.  I've been thinking.  I don't have any hands to use a knife anyway.  But I was watching the children riding on their sleds.  I remember when I was a princess I had a sled.

If I had one now, I could ride on it and all the other birds could see me.  Then they'd say, ‘Oh look!  She has a sled.  She must be a Princess Bird.'  Oh, Joey!  If you...  If you gave me a sled, I'd let you put salt on my tail and make your wishes.  That would make me happy, Joey."

Joey said, “Okay Princess Bird.  I'll get you a sled."

But how was Joey going to get a sled?  Sleds cost more than knives.  ‘Wait a minute!  I know.  This knife!  This knife might not be good enough for a princess, but it's good enough for me.  I'll take this knife, use it to carve things, nice things.  I'll carve things and take them to the village.  Take them to the village and sell them for nickels.'

And that's what he did.  He carved walking sticks.  He carved spoons.  He carved anything anyone wanted.  And he sold those things for nickels.  Day after day, week after week, he carved and sold things until he had enough nickels to buy a sled.  He bought the best sled he could find.  And he bought a can of silver paint.

Then he painted the sled silver so he was sure the Princess Bird would love it.  He took the sled into the forest and called the Princess Bird.  “Princess.  Princess.  Princess Bird."

Brrrrrrrwwop!  Up flew the Princess Bird.  “Oh Joey!  Oh Joey!  Oh Jooooey!  Is that my sled?  I'm so excited Joey.  I'm so excited.  It's a beautiful silver sled.  Wait a minute.  Joey.  Is this real silver or just paint?"

Joey said, “I painted it silver."

“Oh Joey, I'm sorry.  It's fake silver.  Princesses need real silver.  If the birds saw me with that sled, they'd say, ‘That's just a fake silver sled.  She's just a fake princess, not a real princess at all.'  I'm so sorry Joey, that sled's not good enough for a princess."

Joey sighed.  “That's all right, Princess Bird.  I'll just take this sled back to the store.  I'll earn more nickels and when I get enough I'll buy you a real silver sled."

But the Princess Bird said, “Actually, Joey.  I've been thinking.  I don't really want a sled anyway.  When I was a princess I usually rode on a sleigh pulled by two big beautiful horses.  If I had a sleigh pulled by two big beautiful horses, I could ride in it and all the other birds could see me.  Then they'd say, ‘Oh look!  She rides in a sleigh.  She must be a Princess Bird.'

“Oh, Joey!  If you   If you gave me a sleigh pulled by two big beautiful horses, I'd let you put salt on my tail and make your wishes.  That would make me happy, Joey."

Joey said, “Okay Princess Bird.  I'll get you the sleigh."

But how was Joey going to get a sleigh?  Sleighs cost a lot more than knives and sleds.  ‘Wait a minute!  I know.  This sled!  This sled might not be good enough for a princess, but it's good enough for me and my friends.

‘I'll take this sled, rent it to the other children.  It's so pretty they'll pay dimes to slide on it.'

And that's what he did.  He rented the sled for dimes.  He rented the sled day after day, week after week, month after month until he had enough dimes to buy a sleigh and two big beautiful black horses.  And the sleigh had real silver runners so he knew the Princess Bird would love it.

He drove the sleigh into the forest and called the Princess Bird.  “Princess.  Princess.  Princess Bird."

Brrrrrrrwwop!  Up flew the Princess Bird.  “Oh Joey!  Oh Joey!  Oh Jooooey!  Is that my sleigh?  I'm so excited Joey.  I'm so excited.  Those are beautiful silver runners.  Wait a minute.  Joey.  Are those black horses?"

Joey said, “Yes they are.  They're the biggest, most beautiful black horses money can buy."

“Oh Joey, I'm sorry.  Princesses need white horses.  If the birds saw me with black horses, they'd say, ‘Black horses!  she's not a real princess.  Real princesses have white horses.'  I'm so sorry Joey, those horses aren't good enough for a princess."

“That's all right, Princess Bird.  Black horses and white horses cost the same amount.  “I'll just take these horses back and get white ones."

But the Princess Bird said, “Actually, Joey.  I've been thinking.  I don't really want a sleigh anymore.  Every time I talk to the other birds they laugh at me and say ‘You can't be a real princess.  You live in a tree.  Birds live in trees.  Princesses live in castles.'  Oh Joey, they're right.  If you gave me a castle to live in, they'd know I was a princess.  That would make me so happy, Joey.  If you give me a castle I'll let you put salt on my tail and make your wishes."

Joey said, “Okay Princess Bird.  I'll get you a castle."

But how was Joey going to get a castle?  Castles cost a lot more than knives, sleds or sleighs with horses.  ‘Wait a minute!  I know.  This sleigh!  These horses!  They might not be good enough for a princess, but they're good enough for me, my friends, for anyone else.  I'll take this sleigh and rent out rides.  I'll give ride to people like a taxi.  That's it!  I'll start a taxi company.  People will pay dollars to ride.'

And that's what he did.  He taxied people.  He taxied people day after day, week after week, month after month until he had enough dollars to buy a... castle?  No way!  Castles cost a lot more than that.  But he did have enough to buy another sleigh and two more big beautiful horses.  So now he made twice as much money.  He made enough money to buy his father breakfast and hire his father to drive the new sleigh.

They taxied more people.  They taxied people day after day, week after week, month after month until he had enough dollars to buy a... castle?  No way!  Castles cost a lot more than that.  But he did have enough to buy more sleighs, more big beautiful horses, and hire more drivers.  He really had a big taxi company then.

So they taxied even more people.  They taxied people all over the country,  day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year until he had enough dollars to buy a... castle?  No way!  Castles cost a lot more than that.  But he did have enough to buy a ship.  A big beautiful ship and he filled that ship with beautiful things.

The ship sailed away and sold those things for gold.

And when his ship came in, he had enough gold to buy a... castle?  No way!  Castles cost a lot more than that.  But he did have enough to buy more ships.  Big beautiful ships and he filled those ships with beautiful things.  So now he had a shipping company and a taxi company.

The ships sailed away and the things were sold for gold.  And when his ships came in, he had enough gold and enough dollars to build a...  that's right, he built a castle.  The most beautiful castle in the whole world.  And he filled that castle up with all the most beautiful silver things a princess could want.

Then he took a silver sleigh pulled by six big beautiful white horses and drove to the forest to call the Princess Bird.  “Princess.  Princess.  Princess Bird."

Brrrrrrrwwop!  Brrrrrrrwwop!  Brrrrrrrwwop!  Up flew the Princess Bird.  “Oh Joey!  Oh Joey!  Oh Jooooey!  Is my castle ready?  I'm so excited Joey.  I'm so excited.  You've been gone so long that I thought you forgot me.  Wow Joey!  You're all grown up.  You're not a boy any more.  You're a man."

Joey laughed and said, “Yes, Princess Bird.  I'm a man.  It takes a lot of time to earn enough money to build a castle.  But the castle is ready for you.  Come, I'll give you a ride."

Joey took the Princess Bird to the castle.  He showed her every room from the highest tower to the deepest dungeon.  And those weren't damp dark dungeons.  No princess would like that.

In every room the Princess Bird flew around.  Brrrrrrrwwop!  Brrrrrrrwwop!  Brrrrrrrwwop!  “Oh Joey!  Oh Joey!  Oh Joooooey!  I love it.  It's so beautiful.  Oh Joey!"

Then the Princess Bird sighed.  “Oh Joey.  There's just one thing.  I'm a bird.  I can't take care of this castle by myself.  I need some servants, Joey.  Servants to do the dishes and clean.  I'll need money to pay the servants.

“So Joey, do you think you could get me three big chests of gold.  If I had three big chests of gold to pay the servants, everything would be perfect."

Joey said, “That's easy Princess Bird.  I have a lot of gold now.  I'll be right back."

Joey went home and got six big chests of gold.

He brought them to the castle and the Princess Bird said, “Oh Joey!  I'm so happy.  Now everyone will know I really am a princess.  Put out your hand.  I'll gladly let you sprinkle salt on my tail and make your wishes."

Now Joey was excited.  He put out his hand.  The Princess Bird hopped on.  Joey reached into his pocket and took out some salt.  He sprinkled the salt on the Princess Bird's tail.

“I wish...  I wish... I wish..."

The Princess Bird said, “Joey, don't take too long.  The salt itches.  It itches my tail, Joey."

“Okay, Princess Bird.  I wish I had...  No, I don't need that.  I wish I had...  No, not that either.  Ummm, I wish..."

The Princess Bird began to squirm.  “Joey, hurry up.  The salt itches a lot.  I can't sit still much longer, Joey.  Hurry."

“Okay, Princess Bird.  I'll hurry."  Joey tried to think fast.  He talked faster.  “I wish, I wish I had, I wish I had a a a..."

“Hurry, Joey!  Hurry!  I can't stand it much longer.  I...  Opps!"

The Princess Bird couldn't sit still any longer.  She shook her tail and the salt fell off.

“Oh Joey.  Oh Joey, I'm sorry.  I'm so sorry, Joey.  I couldn't help it.  The salt itched too much, Joey."

Joey was sad.  “That's all right, Princess.  I couldn't think of any wishes.  I can't believe I've worked all these years.  All these years to get my wishes to come true and when I finally get the chance, I can't even think of anything to wish for.  I'M SO STUPID!"

“Oh, no!  You're not stupid, Joey.  You're smart.  You're the smartest person I know, Joey.  You knew how to get me all the stuff I asked for.  You figured out how to earn enough money to build a castle.  No, Joey.  You're not stupid.  You just couldn't think of anything to wish for because you already earned everything you wanted."

Joey looked at the Princess Bird.  “Not everything, Princess.  I know what to wish for.  Could I sprinkle a little more salt on your tail?  I'll make my wish quickly."

“Okay Joey, but wish fast.  That salt really itches my tail."

Once again Joey sprinkled salt on her tail.  “I wish...  I wish...  I wish you were a princess again."

And she was!

The Princess and Joey lived in the castle together happily forever after.

Papa Joe ~ Telling Tales