The Magical Water

The Magical Water – Story No. 927

A long time ago, in a dense forest, there lived an old woodcutter and his wife. They were both very old and extremely poor. Every day, the woodcutter would spend hours cutting wood with his rusty axe, collecting enough to sell in the town. By evening, he would carry the wood to the town market to earn a meager living. His wife stayed at home, managing the household chores and looking after their simple life.

One hot afternoon, while working deep in the forest, the woodcutter became extremely thirsty. He looked around for a well, a pond, or any source of water, but the forest offered nothing nearby. His thirst grew unbearable. Setting his axe aside, he wandered through the trees, hoping to find water. After some time, he discovered a pond he had never seen before. Its water was crystal clear and glimmered in the sunlight, looking so pure and inviting. Filled with hope, he rushed to the edge of the pond and began drinking eagerly.

To his utter astonishment, as soon as the water touched his lips, a miraculous transformation began. All the wrinkles on his body vanished. His white hair turned completely black. His missing teeth reappeared, strong and shiny. Within moments, the old woodcutter had become a young, healthy, and strong man, brimming with vitality. Amazed, he bent over the pond to see his reflection. A young, handsome man stared back at him, full of life and energy. Overjoyed, he left the forest behind, forgetting the wood he had collected, and ran home, leaping and shouting in excitement.

When his wife saw a young man entering their home, she was initially startled. But upon hearing his explanation—that he had drunk magical water and regained his youth—she was overjoyed and could not contain her excitement. She insisted that he show her the pond immediately so that she, too, could drink the magical water and regain her youth.

The woodcutter, though worried, gave her directions and cautioned her to drink carefully. But his wife, driven by excitement and impatience, did not listen. She hurried to the pond alone. The water glimmered under the sunlight, looking as inviting as before. She sat at the edge, thinking that the more she drank, the younger and more beautiful she would become. Ignoring any caution, she began drinking quickly and continuously, filling her stomach to the brim with the magical water.

Time passed, but she did not return. The woodcutter grew worried and went to search for her. He looked everywhere but could not find her. Finally, he reached the pond and scanned the area. Under a nearby tree, he noticed his wife’s clothes lying on the ground. Running over, he was shocked to see a tiny girl, barely two or three years old, wrapped in her clothes.

The woodcutter immediately understood what had happened. In her greed and haste, his wife had drunk far too much magical water. Instead of becoming young again, she had regressed beyond her original age, transforming into a small child. Had she been patient and only taken a few sips, she would have become youthful again. But her impatience and desire for instant gratification caused this unexpected result.

With a heavy heart and deep sorrow, the woodcutter picked up the little girl in his arms. He understood that he now had to care for her, just as she had once cared for him. Slowly, he walked back home, his joy tempered by sadness. From that day on, he took care of his wife in her new form, learning a valuable lesson about greed, patience, and the consequences of overindulgence.