SALT ON A MAGPIE’S TAIL

Swedish Folktale, Retold by Navin

Once upon a time, in Sweden, there was a poor boy named Olle. He lived with his mother in a small shack, with a cold, empty hearth and a leaky, thatched roof. His father had died when he was young, and his mother sold broomsticks to make a living. Olle was very lazy, and spent most of his time daydreaming. His greatest desires were a clasp knife, toys to play with, a wagon, a pony, and a beautiful big house to live in. His poor mother, barely able to make ends meet, could do little to satisfy his grand wishes.

One day, Olle was walking idly through the park, and sat down on a bench for a nice session of daydreaming. An old man sitting on the same bench looked at him and asked, “What are you thinking about with such a dull expression on your face, my boy?”

The boy told the man his desires, and his sad plight. “Well, if you want these treasures that badly, go and find a magpie. It is said that if you put salt on a magpie’s tail and make a wish before it flicks the salt off, the wish will come true.” The boy was overjoyed that such a shortcut to riches existed and set off at once to find a magpie. He stopped by his hut to retrieve a handful of salt and continued on to the forest.

Olle found many magpies, but they all flew away from him as soon as he came near. After a long search, he was on the verge of giving up, and collapsed under a tree. As he looked up, a magpie sat on the branch of the tree right above him!

“Hello Olle!” it said. “I know what you seek! I will let you put salt on my tail and make a wish if you do a favor for me.” Too astonished and excited to question how the magpie was talking, Olle exclaimed, “Yes, I’ll do anything!” “I am a princess of the magpies,” said the magpie, “and I need a clasp knife to keep my beak and claws in order.”

The boy at once set off to the village. After several weeks of doing odd jobs, he had raised enough money for a clasp knife, and returned to the woods with the tool. He found the magpie at the same tree as before, and offered it the knife. It shook its head disdainfully and said, “This will not do. I expected a golden knife, fit for a princess. I do not want this.” The boy was crestfallen and begged for another chance. “Well,” said the magpie, “you may bring me a wagon, as I need one to move all my things about in.” Olle ran back to the village and used his clasp knife to whittle toys. With time and practice, he became quite skilled, and people paid large sums of money to buy his toys. Eventually, Olle had enough for a wagon, which he bought and rolled to the forest. Once again, his offering was met with contempt.

The magpie princess said she wanted a luxurious wagon, and Olle’s heart sank. At his groveling, the magpie agreed to give him one more chance, and asked for a pony. Olle used the wagon he had purchased to run errands for everyone in the village, and began a taxi service as well, pulling the wagon himself. In time, he bought a beautiful black pony with a shining white mane and led it to the magpie’s tree. Yet again, however, the magpie turned him down. “I prefer brown ponies,” it said. Olle was about to burst into tears when the magpie decided to give him a final chance. It asked for a large house, with a garden. Olle began to raise money at once.

Well over a year later, Olle purchased a large house, and went to the forest to get the magpie. She followed him to the house, and he gave it a tour of the house. She seemed pleased, and finally agreed to grant him a wish. She turned around, and Olle placed the salt on her tail. “Go ahead,” she said, “make your wishes! I haven’t got all day!” Olle thought and thought, finding it difficult to remember his original desires, when the magpie began to count down!

“5,” it said.

“Uh, wait! I wish for a clasp knife! No- I already have one!” cried Olle.

“4…”

“I wish for toys! Plenty of toys! Ugh! I can make toys if I want to, though…”

“3…”

“How about a wagon! No! I have a wagon as well!”

“2…”

“A PONY! Wait, the pony I bought is waiting outside!”

“1…”

“A big house! A big house for me and my mother to live in!”

“Too late! 0!” With a flick of its tail, the magpie scattered all the salt and flew to the ceiling, laughing all the while. Olle yelled in rage, but then became mystified by what the magpie said next. “Olle, all these wishes that you wanted so badly, you could have gotten yourself all along! You didn’t realize that what you thought was impossible to attain without a magical wish, you could attain with just some hard work! Enjoy the rewards of your toils, and as an added reward, you can keep this house!” Laughing aloud again, the magpie flew out of the window and into the woods. From that day onwards, Olle became a fastidious young man, and lost his laziness. He used his pony and wagon to continue earning money and began a delivery company. He soon became rich, he and his mother moved into the house, and they lived happily ever after.