The Ungrateful Woodcutter Complete Story | Roumanian Fairytales & Legends

Once upon a time there lived in a village a woodcutter so so poor that he had only his hatchet with which to gain bread for his wife and children. With difficulty could he earn six pence a day and it needed his wife and himself to rise early and go late to bed so as to ensure they had the coarsest food. Repose they had none. What am I to do? I'm worn out with fatigue. My wife and children have nothing to eat and I no longer have strength to hold me hatchet to earn even bit of black bread for my family. Oh it's very bad luck for the poor when they're brought into this world. What are you complaining about? Am I not likely to complain when I have no food? Go home. Dig up the earth in the corner of your garden and you will find under a dead branch a treasure. Master what do you call yourself? Who are you with such a kind heart? My name is Merlin. Master God will bless you if you will come to my aid and save a poor family from destitution. Go quickly and in a year's time come back here and give me an account of what you have done with the money you will now find in the corner of the garden. Master I will come in a time or every day if you command me. So he went home and dug the earth in the corner pointed out to him and there he found the promised treasure. We shall leave it to you to picture his joy and that of his whole family and their overnight transformation from poverty to wealth. Not wishing his neighbors to know that he had become so suddenly rich he still continued to go to the woods and gradually seemed to rise from poverty to wealth. At the end of the year he went to the forest according to the agreement. So you have come? Yes master and how have you fared? Well master my family has good food and clothing and we have reason to thank you every day. You are well off now but tell me is there anything else you long for? Oh yes master I would like to be made mayor of the village. All right in 40 days you shall be named mayor. Oh a thousand thanks my clear protector you are as good as newly baked bread. The second year the rich woodcutter came to the forest in fine new clothes and wearing tied around his waist the scarf of the mayor. Mr Moulin come and speak to me. Here I am what more do you wish for? Our bishop died yesterday and my son with your aid would like to replace him. A fresh favor then I ask for your kindness. In 40 days it shall be done. Accordingly in 40 days the son became a bishop and yet they were not satisfied. Merlin will you do me another favor? What is it? My daughter wishes to be the wife of a director. So let it be in 40 days the marriage shall take place. And so it all came to pass. His daughter got married to the director but alas when the year had almost ended when it was time for him to visit Merlin in the woods for thanksgiving to thank him for his generosity and kindness the woodcutter felt he had outgrown such routine he had grown terribly pompous for wealth he did not acquire himself but he saw no use for Merlin anymore and so he said to his wife why should I go again into the forest to speak to a creature whom I have never seen I am wealthy enough now I have plenty of friends and my name is respected. My husband you must not say that you have to go once more you ought to wish him a good day and to thank him for all his benefits. And so he rode his horse again into the woods to see Merlin but it was not to say thank you. I have no more need of you I'm sufficiently rich now. It seems that you have forgotten the time when you had not enough to eat possessed only your hatchet and could scarcely earn sixpence a day. The first service I rendered you you went on your knees and called me master. After the second a little less polite you said mister. After the third only plain Merlin. And now you have the impudence to address me as murder. You think you have made your account well and have no longer need of me. We'll see to that. You have always been heartless and stupid. Continue to be stupid and remain poor as you were when I took you up. The rich man laughed and shrugged his shoulders and did not believe a word that had been said to him. He went back to his home but soon enough his son the bishop died. His daughter the director's wife also had a bad illness and she died too. And to crown the woodcutter's misfortunes a war broke out and the soldiers of each army entered his cellars consumed his wine and his granaries of corn and burned his maize in the field. His house was also set on fire and so he remained penniless and uncared for. See I've lost all that I possessed. Money, farmhouse, children. Why did I not believe Merlin? It only remains for me to die for I cannot bear this cursed life of a dog. No my husband we must set to work again. With what? We have not even a donkey left. With what God gives us. God only gave them a basket borrowed from a neighbor. With this on his back and his hatchet in hand he set off once more to the woods to try to earn his six pence a day and never more did he hear the voice of Merlin. Watch and download your favorite movies and latest tv series for free. Visit www.moviesandtvseries.com. New editions every single day.