The Axe

Once upon a time, a poor young man set out into the world to seek his fortune. He boarded a ship sailing across the ocean, and after they had sailed for a year and a day, a great storm arose. Rain poured down, the wind howled so fiercely that the ship was blown miles off course, and the skipper couldn't tell where they were. In the middle of the night, a tremendous crash echoed as the ship struck a reef. The waves beat and battered it, tossing it about until every soul was drowned, except the poor young man.

The waves carried him ashore, more dead than alive, and he lay on the beach until morning, when the sun warmed him and woke him from his faint. He got up, looked around, and explored the place, discovering it was an island. It didn't take him long to walk around it, and he saw it was small, with no other land in sight as far as the eye could reach. The island was covered with trees bearing fruit and flowers, bananas and coconuts, and there were springs of fresh water. But there were no birds in the trees and no animals running on the ground. So he lived on fruits and roots and did the best he could.

One day, to his great surprise, he saw a black thing in the sky. Even more surprising, the black thing had no wings, yet it was flying. It came nearer and nearer, until he saw it was a large wild pig. How could a pig fly through the air? He rubbed his eyes and looked again; yes, it was a pig beyond all doubt, flying closer until it reached the island. He hid behind a bush and watched the pig sink slowly to the ground and lie down under a tree. Soon the pig was fast asleep and snoring. The young man crept closer and, to his amazement, saw by the pig's side the most magnificent diamond he had ever seen. It blazed and sparkled in the sun, looking like a ball of fire. He stepped cautiously up to the pig, took hold of the diamond, and the pig, being very sleepy, snored on. As he turned the diamond over in his hand and watched it flash, he suddenly thought, "What if the pig wakes?

He looks fierce, with great sharp tusks, and I have nothing to defend myself with. " But what on earth had happened? The moment the thought crossed his mind, he found himself perched in the treetop.

For a little while, he was quite dazed and dizzy. Then he began to wonder if the diamond had worked this miracle. So, just to test it, he wished himself down again, and there he was, without knowing how! He realized he had a magic diamond, something he must take great care of. He wished himself back up in the tree.

Once he was up there again, he picked a nut from a branch and dropped it onto the pig's nose. The pig woke, raised his head, and looked around for the diamond. You see, this pig was not really a pig at all, but a great magician who flew about in that shape because he was as wicked as could be. He preferred being a pig to being a man. There are many people like that, only they look like men and we don't know the difference.

When the pig saw his diamond was gone, he flew into a fury, for all his power lay in that diamond. Without it, he was no more than any other pig. He glared, snorted, and looked all around—down, up—and then he saw the man who had dropped the nut on his snout. His rage knew no bounds. He foamed at the mouth and ran around the tree, but the young man only laughed and dropped more nuts. That made the pig mad indeed, but pigs can't climb trees, and he saw his diamond was lost and with it all his magic. In his madness, he charged straight at the tree and ran his tusks right into the trunk. There they stuck, and no matter how he pulled, he could not get them out.

The young man wished himself down, found a large stone, and battered the pig's skull until it was dead. Then he held the diamond over the pig so the sun's rays shone through it, and so fine and strong was that diamond that in a short time, a delicious smell of roast pork filled the air. The whole pig was cooked to perfection, with crispy crackling. He took a sharp shell from the beach, carved slices, and ate. It was the best meal he had enjoyed since the shipwreck.

When he had finished, it occurred to him that if the pig could fly, so could he. Holding the diamond, he wished to fly to the nearest land. He felt himself rise and was carried swiftly over the sea. The island became a black patch, then a speck in the distance. The sun shone warm, waves sparkled below, porpoises played, and flying fish leaped in flashes of light. As the sun set, he came to a sandy beach and stood, wondering what next.

Looking around, he saw a thin column of smoke rising behind some bushes. He put the diamond in his pocket and walked toward it. Soon he came to a queer little hut, and at the door, on the ground, sat a man without legs. Whether a shark bitten him or he never had any, I cannot say, but there he sat like a chess piece. He wore a fur cap and coat, with no need for trousers. In front of him was a fire, and over it a spit with a young kid roasting.

"Good evening, sir," said the young man.

"Good evening," replied the other.

"Can you give me shelter for the night?" asked the young man.

"Whatever I have, you may share," said the legless old man.

They sat down and ate, but the young man was frightened to see the old man eat skin, bones, and everything. He didn't like how the old man eyed him. In truth, this old man was another magician, a friend of the pig magician, and he used to eat travelers who came his way. He didn't eat this one because the kid was already roasting, but he planned to later.

"How did you get here?" asked the old man.

"I flew over the sea," said the young man.

"Indeed! And how did you manage that?"

The young man showed his diamond and explained its power.

"If you give me your diamond," said the old man, "I'll give you my axe. You see, I have no legs, so you wonder how I live. This axe is my secret. If I slap the handle and say 'Wood and fire,' it flies and cuts wood and kindles a fire. If I slap the steel and say 'Heads,' it chops off the head of a goat or any animal I want, bringing me meat. I've lived here a thousand years with this axe, and I'm tired of this place. I want to see the world before I die, which is why I want your diamond."

"All right," said the young man. "It's a bargain." They exchanged, and as soon as the axe was in his hand, he slapped the steel and shouted, "Heads!" In a flash, the axe sliced through the old man's neck like a turnip, and he had no more head than legs. The young man picked up the diamond, tucked it away, and now had two magic things. He blessed his luck and slept peacefully in the hut.

Next morning, with the diamond in his pocket and the axe on his shoulder, he set out. All day he walked through the forest, until evening, when he saw another hut like the first. There sat a man without arms, like a pair of compasses, on a tree stump. In front of him was another stump with a large bowl of milk, from which he was drinking. When he saw the young man, he tipped the bowl with his chin, and instantly a deep, roaring river surrounded him and his hut. He sat in the middle, laughing at the young man's surprise. But the young man quickly wished himself across the river, and now it was his turn to laugh.

"How on earth did you do that?" asked the shocked armless man.

"Oh, that's nothing," said the young man, showing his diamond.

The old man's eyes glistened at the sight, and he wanted it.

"I'll give you this bowl for that diamond," he said. "It's a wishing bowl. Whenever you're hungry, wish for anything—milk, soup, wine—and it appears. And if you tip it over, a huge river pours out, flooding a country or drowning your enemies."

"Dear me! That is a wonderful bowl. Very well, I'll trade," said the young man, and they exchanged. The old man took the diamond and watched it sparkle, but not for long. The young man slapped his axe and cried, "Heads!" In a jiffy, the axe sliced through the old man's neck like a cucumber, and he had no more head than arms. The young man reclaimed the diamond and now had three wonderful things. He wished for wine in the bowl, drank, and slept happily.

Next morning, after a meal from the bowl, he set off again. After walking for hours, he heard in the distance a loud rub-a-dub-dub, rub-a-dub-dub, boom, boom, boom. He felt like running away, but with an effort, he walked toward the sound, which grew louder, until he came to a little glade. Suddenly, a rustle, bustle, and jostle, and out of the trees came a great herd of elephants, lions, tigers, wolves, and all sorts of wild animals, bristling with fright, tearing along at full speed. They were too terrified to notice him and vanished into the trees.

The noise ceased, but soon he came to another glade, and at the end stood a hut. In front of it sat a big black giant with a drum.

"Good day to you!" roared the giant.

"Good day," said the young man, rather frightened.

"Come and have something to eat!" roared the giant.

"Thank you," said the young man.

They sat down, but the young man, wary of the giant's food, pulled out his bowl and wished for some soup. He sipped it.

"What is that?" asked the giant.

The young man explained it was a wishing bowl that gave any food he wanted. The giant, delighted, thought how easy life would be with that bowl.

"I'll buy that bowl!" he roared.

"What will you give me for it?" asked the young man.

"I'll give you this drum," said the giant. "If you beat on one side, everyone who hears it will run away."

"Ah, that's why the lions and tigers were running!" said the young man.

"Yes," said the giant. "And if you beat on the other side, an army of soldiers and horses will spring up from the ground to defend you."

"All right, here you are," said the young man, and handed over the bowl.

The giant took it gleefully and, horrid to tell, wished for a bowlful of blood! He began to drink, but he never finished, for as he buried his nose in the bowl, the young man slapped his axe and cried, "Heads!" Down came the axe with a crash on the giant's head, cutting it clean in two.

The young man, glad to be rid of the giant, entered the hut. There, all around the walls, were the bodies of travelers who had passed that way, tied to the uprights, dry as dust and shriveled. This giant used to catch travelers and suck their blood until dry. Seeing his narrow escape, the young man decided to leave. Picking up his bowl and drum, and checking his axe and diamond were safe, he wished himself at the gate of the nearest city.

Now the king of that city was a cruel king. He robbed and murdered even his own subjects, and he had no mercy for strangers. When he heard a stranger was outside the gates, he decided to have some sport and sent a company of soldiers to fetch him. The young man beat his drum, and they all ran away! Enraged, the king had their heads chopped off and sent a regiment. The same thing happened. The king grew angrier and ordered his entire army to march on the stranger, leading them himself. Then the young man tipped over his wishing bowl, and a roaring torrent flooded the plain, drowning every soldier but the king, who galloped back to the city and climbed the wall. Then the young man slapped his axe and cried, "Heads! I want the king's head!" The axe flew through the air like a boomerang, sliced off the king's head, and brought it back. The people cheered with joy. Then the young man beat the other side of his drum, and lo and behold!

The earth trembled, holes opened everywhere, and from each hole sprang a warrior fully armed. Surrounded by his army, he marched into the city, became king, and lived happily ever after. And I hope we may be half as happy as he was.