Just then he
saw an old woman looking at him over the hedge.
"Good morning!" she said. "If you are wise you will take my advice."
"And what is your advice?" the plowman asked.
"Leave your plow and walk straight for two days. At the end of that
time you will find yourself in the middle of a forest, and in front of
you will be a tree towering high above the others. Cut it down and
your fortune will be made."
With these words the old woman hobbled down the road, leaving the
plowman wondering. He unharnessed his horses, drove them home, and
said good-bye to his wife. Then, taking his axe, he started out.
At the end of two days he came to the tree, and set to work to cut it
down. As it crashed to the ground a nest containing two eggs fell from
its top-most branches. The shells of the eggs were broken, and out of
one came a young eagle, while from the other rolled a small gold ring.
The eagle rapidly became larger, until it was of full size. Then,
flapping its wings, it flew up.
"Thank you for my freedom," it called. "In token of my gratitude take
this ring. It is a wishing ring. If you wish anything as you turn it
around on your finger your wish will come true. But remember this, the
ring contains only one wish, so think well before you use it.
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