The Wonderlamp

Hey all,

You're probably wondering how I got a Wonderlamp, right? Well, let me tell you how it all started. It's a quite a remarkable story, I can assure you. It's not something that will happen to everyone, I assume.

This morning I had gone to work although the rain came pouring from the clouds. When I arrived at the field where I had to harvest all the apples from the trees, my boss, Nigel, told me I could go home. The weather would become worse today, or so his magician had said, so he decided we wouldn't be harvesting apples.
Yeah, yeah, I can hear you think:
"Wonderful, a day off. You can do what you want."
Well, in my case that's not so wonderful. After all, we're not getting paid if we don't work. So, I wasn't that happy that I didn't need to work. Especially since I knew that I would have to work twice as hard tomorrow, for the same money in the same time. Doesn't sound so good anymore, does it? So, after that message, I went on my way back home. Luckily Nigel had paid me just last Friday, and unlike others I've met, I've decided a long time ago to save as much money as I can. I have a special chest for that. Of course I'm keeping the chest on a place no one knows about and it's protected with several charms. Bless my mother for teaching me these charms! I'm still... Right... back to the subject.

Like I told you, my boss had paid me Friday. I've spent a little bit of the money on dinner for that evening. I always have a warm dinner at paydays, or at least I try to. Saturday I bought bread, cheese and milk for the weekend and for today. It's not much but it's food. And I gotta eat, right?
Anyways, now that I had a free, unpaid, day I decided to go home and clean up a bit. Although I live in a tiny house, I still think it's good to live in when it's nice and clean. On my way home I stopped by at the bakery, cause I had no bread left anymore, besides the little bit for lunch today.

While waiting in line, I noticed an old lady coming in. She was dressed in rags and it seemed like she could hardly see a thing because she was holding a stick in front of her and waving it a bit as not to bump into someone. Now, you have to know that everyone can enter this bakery and buy bread and everything else the baker sells. They're not making any exceptions, ever. This old lady waited in line, not making a noise, just standing there.
Apparently a young, obviously rich lady in the front had heard a noise and turned around to see the old lady standing behind me.
"Oh, it's her again. I can't believe that you let her in here, Geraline." she said to one of the ladies behind the counter. "I mean, all she's dressed in are rags. Can't you dress normal, woman?" She asked the old lady.
"I'm sorry, madam, if my appearance offends you, but I have nothing else to wear." she answered with a soft voice.
"Yeah, right, nothing else to wear. And we have to take your word for it? Well, I think it's a scandal that you dare enter this nice bakery dressed the way you are. But who am I to decide what to do with that. It's not my bakery, so there's nothing I can do about it. If it were my bakery......" She didn't end her sentence, but she didn't need to. Her intentions were very clear, for everyone. The old lady only bowed her head in response and said nothing.
I thought that it was quite mean what the young lady had said, but I knew it was not my place to say anything about that. She was way out of my league. That made me think of what I COULD do. I thought about that while everyone in front of me bought their bread and other things. At first I couldn't think of anything, but slowly an idea began to grow. In my little shack I had a chest filled with clothing from my mother. Maybe......
When it was my turn I ordered one bread. That would be enough for the coming three days. After the Geraline had given me my bread I went outside and waited there until the old lady came out. She walked straight pass me and headed towards the bridge, leading to the road to the forest. I hurried after her.

"Miss," I started, "may I ask you something?"
"Yes young lady, what is that you wanted to ask me?"
"Miss, sorry for saying this, but you seem to be in need for some clothes. If you don't mind I have a few spare things that might be suitable for you. Would you like to come with me?"
She just tilted her head, as if she was inspecting me. "Why would a young lady like you want to help me? I'm just an old woman, living in the forest."
"Yes Miss, I thought so. Let's just say someone has helped me to get a better life in the past and I would like to help you now. If you don't mind, that is."
"Well," she started, "it's a very generous offer, but surely I can't do that."
"Why not, if I may ask?" I asked her. I knew this might be an inappropriate question, but at the same time I really wanted to do something for her. So I wanted to know why she couldn't accept my offer.
"You don't even know me! And I can imagine you can use the clothing yourself too, can't you? Why else would you have them?"
"Ah, is that the point. Well Miss, these clothes were from my mother. Unfortunately she died and left me everything. I'm sure I can spare a few things for you. That way you'll have warm clothes for this autumn and the winter that's coming up. I've heard the weather will be bad this year again." I could see I was getting to her. She was at least thinking about what I had said.
"In a way I suppose you are right, but-"
"Miss, please accept this as the gift I'd like it to be. I don't want anything in return. I just want to make sure that you have good cloths."
"Well, if you put it like that," she said, "how can I refuse that?"
"Thank you. Shall I guide you to my home?"
"Yes please. If you wouldn't mind taking my arm to lead me?"
"Of course, no problem." I said. I took her arm and lead her to my home.

"Miss, here's my home. It's small, but it's a good home. Would you please come in?" I asked her.
"Thank you. Yes, I will come in." she said as she followed me inside. "Would you mind describing your home for me? I always like to know where I am." she said.
"No problem. Well, like I said, it's a small home, one room only. It's all in one, but it's sufficient. The door is on the south side of the house and there's a window on each side of the door. I was lucky when I got this shack, because this was one of the ones that also has a window on the east side. And we're close to the fields, so I have a magnificent view from the window. I have placed my bed against the west wall and the table with chair on the east side. That's it I think." I told her. "Oh, wait, I have my little closet against the north wall, as well as my mom's chest. Yes, that's it."
"Thank you, you've painted a beautiful picture. I like your house." She said, as she slowly walked to the left. "Would you mind if.... "
"Oh, of course not. Here, let me help you." I said, as I guided her to the chair next to the table."
"Ah, thank you. It's not always to find your way in unfamiliar circumstances. You are kind, dear."
"You are welcome, Miss. Let's see what we've got here. It's good that my mother left me a chest full of cloths. I'm sure I can find something for you." I rummaged through the clothing in the chest, putting things on my bed which I thought were good, tossing others on the side.
"Young lady, if you don't mind my asking... You said someone helped you in the past to get a better life. What has happened?" she kindly asked.
"Well, I told you my mother has past away, right? That was about 5 years ago. My mother was very sick, she couldn't stop coughing and sometimes there was even blood. In the end she had a high fever and within a few hours she was that. Up until then we had always lived in our house. It was a nice house with a kitchen, a dinning room, a sitting room, a bathroom and three bedrooms. One of those was my mother's, the second was mine and we used the third one for storage. Unfortunately we never owned this house, we only hired it. And although my mother had always paid her rent in time and always paid for everything that needed to be fixed, the landlord wanted me out of the house as soon as he heard that my mother passed away." I stopped for a moment, feeling the sorrow again from that time. "He said I should go to an orphanage and almost threw me out on the street. A nice man who happened to be in the street at that moment saw it happening and could stop the landlord." I paused again thinking about this man. I still feel huge gratitude towards this man. He saved me from so much!

"This man talked with my landlord and convinced him to let me stay in my old house for a few days, until he had found me a place to live in." I continued. "He said to the landlord: "She's already to old to go to an orphanage, you know that. Let me find her a nice place to live and she'll be out of this house soon." You can imagine how surprised I was. I didn't know him and yet he was so nice for me. Can you imagine that?" I asked the old lady. She only smiled.
"Anyway, he indeed found a place for me to live in, this shack. He made sure I could take a few things with me, including my bed, my closet and my mom's chest filled with clothing. He told me those might come in handy one day. He also made sure I could take pots and pans, plates and more things like that, so that I could truly live on my own. I will always be grateful to him, although I've never seen him once I had moved in here."
"Ah, I can see now why you're willing to help others. You are a good girl, young lady. There are not so many people like you. I think your mother would have been proud." the old lady said.
"Thank you, Miss." I looked at the clothing I had put on the bed. There was a nice skirt, a blouse, a sweater, a shawl and a coat. This way she would at least be warm in the winter.
"Do you want to try on the clothing, Miss?"
"If it's not too much trouble I would love to try it on." she said. I gave her the clothing, turned my back to her and waited until she was dressed in the clothes.
"You can turn around now. I'm fully dressed again." she said as she smiled. "These are very comfortable. Are you sure you don't need them?" she asked.
"I'm sure I don't need them. Please, keep them."
"Thank you. I really appreciate this. Is there any way I can thank you for this?" She asked.
"No Miss, I don't want that. I'm happy I was able to help you." I said.
"Well, if you are sure...." she hesitated. "There is nothing I can say to convince you otherwise, can I?"
"No, Miss, indeed."
"Okay, then. Well, it was very nice meeting you, young lady. Although it was very pleasant this morning, I'm afraid I'll have to leave again. I've got a few things left to do. If you don't mind, would you be willing to help me one last time?"
"Of course. How can I help you?"
"Could you perhaps guide me to the bridge? From there I'll be able to find my way again. If it's really not too much trouble, I would be very grateful."
"That's no trouble at all. I will guide to the bridge. What do you want to do with these clothes?" I asked, pointing at her old clothes.
"My old rags, you mean? I'll take them home in this bag. I can still use them." she said, as she pulled out a small dark brown leather bag from the coat she was wearing. I was surprised to see the bag. I had only seen that she had held the bread she had bought in her hand. I had no idea she also had a bag with her. But I said nothing about it.
"Okay, it's good to know that you can still use them. I always think it's good if you can still use old things." I told her.

After I had put her rags in the bag, I opened the door and guided her to the bridge. It was not a long walk, but for those who don't know the way it's not always easy to find. When we arrived at the bridge, she turned to me.
"Thank you for all your help today, young lady. I know you said you wanted nothing in return, but I can't leave knowing I didn't give you a little something in thanks." She opened up her bag and pulled out a little oil lamp. "This, young lady, is a wonder lamp. It looks old and dirty, but for those who really appreciate it, it will hold wonders. I think you are such a person and I gladly give this to you as a thank you. With this you can make all your wishes come true. But be careful, you might get more then what you wished for!" She trusted the little oil lamp in my hands, turned around and wandered over the bridge towards the forest.

That's how I came in possession of this miraculous lamp. And yes, I can hear you think: "Wonderlamp, yeah right, in your dreams.".
Well, I thought it was just a nice story from an old lady who wanted to give me one of her precious possessions. I watched her disappear into the forest and then walked home. I put the lamp in my closet and forgot about it for a while. But I found it again in my closet. When? Ah, that's a story for another time.

Until then, I hope you live long and prosper and have a happy live. I'll see you later!

Wished by Queziriya