THE LAND WHERE YOU GET OLD
Based on a library book story called "The Jealous Neighbor". Latter part of this story created by Shivali.
Once upon a time there lived a poor couple who earned their living by farming. They had no children so they kept a dog who was a very grateful dog. He didn’t complain like other dogs do, instead he was thankful for what he got. The couple loved him very much in return. One day, when the farmer was doing what he did every day, the dog seemed to be hiding from someone. But after some time, everything was normal again. That night, the farmer got a very strange dream. A beautiful lady came near him and said, ’’Your dog was hiding from me. And if someone hides from me, then good things will happen to the family the person belongs to. ’’ With these words, the lady went away.
At that moment, the farmer woke up. ‘’What a strange dream’’! But soon, the man forgot all about it. One day, about a few months after that, while the farmer was working, his dog began to sniff at something. Now this is not very surprising, for dogs do this every day. But it seemed that the dog truly had found something, for it did this all day, and soon, the farmer began to take some interest, for his dog had never been so happy. So, the farmer called his wife, and together, they began to dig. At last, when they had dug up quite a big hole, they discovered a very big chest. Now the couple became so happy, that they nearly fainted with joy. Together, the farmer and his wife lifted up the chest, and brought it home. And when they opened the chest, they found a lot of gold and silver. Also, not very long after that, a handsome boy was born to the couple.
But the couple still loved the dog as much as they loved him before. But one day, the dog died. The couple soon became so sad, that soon, they too died. Now their son, whom they had named, Peter, was all alone in the world. So first of all, Peter took the gold that was left over, and put it in a little pouch. Then, he went to the shoemaker’s, and he bought five pairs of shoes. Next, Peter took some snacks, and put them in another pouch. And last but not least, he took ten pairs of clothes, and he went into the wide world to seek his fortune. He traveled far and wide, until at last, he came to a great kingdom. Here, Peter began to look for some work. At last, Peter came across an old man, and offered to work for him. The old man at this said, ‘’Very well, you may work for me. But first, I will tell you what you need to do. Every day, you must milk my cow, feed my goat, clean the dishes, wash my clothes, and sweep the house with a broom. If nothing goes wrong, I will give you ten gold coins every week.’’ So Peter began to work for the old man. And in the time of about a year, Peter had earned enough gold coins to buy a new pair of clothes. Also, the old man had said to Peter, ‘’When you feel bored because you have finished all of your chores, you may look into all the rooms you like, except the one with the golden lock.’’ One day, when the old man was out to find food for him and for Peter, Peter began to feel quite bored, he wished to look into all of rooms the little house had.
Now even though the old man had allowed Peter to look into any of the rooms he liked, Peter had saved them for another day. Now Peter wanted to look into one room, and the rest, he would save for later. So Peter entered one of the rooms. And such a room! Everything was made out of gold and silver. Beautiful birds were singing with joy, and there was an indoor garden with colorful flowers, and happy rabbits running about. Peter had never seen such wonders, and so he went into the next room. That was even more beautiful than the room Peter had seen. And so Peter kept looking into rooms, and each one seemed even more beautiful than the last. At last, Peter came to the room with the golden lock. Peter wanted to go in, but suddenly, he remembered the old man’s warning. But Peter was so tempted to go in, that he could not stop himself.
So he opened the door, and went inside. Now as soon as he got inside than his skin became all wrinkled up, his face became black, and his arms and legs were filled with bugs. Peter ran outside the room, outside the little house, and by the bank of a big lake. There, he looked into the water, but all he could see was a very, very, very old man looking back at him. It was now that Peter looked into the water again, hoping that some voice would come out and tell him how to get young again. But no voice came. Peter knew now that his only chance of becoming young again was for him to find out how to become young again, and then to find a way to do it. So Peter walked hopelessly into a big city.
Now Peter went to the king and asked to work for him. At first, everyone laughed at him, but since the king was looking for a gardener to water and take care of his plants, the king appointed him as his royal gardener. Now every now and then, people would ask Peter why he was so old, but Peter just didn’t answer. Now this king also had a daughter, who was more beautiful than the sun and moon. Now one day, the king decided that it was time for the princess to marry. But how could the king decide which one of the suitors was worthy enough for her? Finally, the king decided that the princess would be sent to the king’s closest friend who was also a king. Now in the other king’s garden, there grew a big fruit tree, which had one golden apple, which some men tried to get, but could not reach it. The first man to get the golden apple from the tree would be the one to marry the princess. So the next day, the princess was sent to the other king, and was kept in a cabin.
Meanwhile, many princes from far and wide tried their luck in marrying the princess. When Peter heard this, he too went to try his luck. But everyone just laughed at him. At last, everyone started. Now even though Peter looked so old, it was the rule that everyone who came should be given a horse. So as soon as Peter got his horse, he mounted it, and began to ride. At last, Peter came to the next kingdom. Now Peter was very surprised, for he was the first one there. And to his surprise, he was able to pick the apple without much trouble. As soon as he had the apple, he put it in a golden pouch. Then, he started back. Now the other kingdom was very far, and soon, Peter became tired. So he sat down, and soon, Peter was fast asleep. Now while he was asleep, a young knight was on his way to find the golden apple. As he was crossing the big lake where Peter was sleeping, he saw that Peter had already found the golden apple. The young knight became jealous, so he quietly took the golden pouch which held the golden apple, and went back to the palace. Now before the young knight left, he put another pouch. Now when Peter woke up, he was still very sleepy, so he did not know that this was another pouch.
So he took the pouch, and went back to the palace. But when he came there, he found that the young knight had stolen the real golden pouch, and now everyone just believed that the young knight was the one who had picked the golden apple. So the king had now ordered everyone to come to the wedding of the young knight and the princess. But they were not yet married. So Peter still had a chance to get the princess back. He went in front of everyone and told them that the young knight was not the one who had picked the golden apple. But no one believed him. But then, a voice from a spirit swept across the hall. And at that moment, everyone believed Peter. The young knight was sent out of the kingdom, and was never heard of again. But who would want to get his daughter married to such an old man? But at that moment, the princess stepped into the hall.
She herself wished to marry Peter, for a winner was a winner. And at that moment, everything changed. Peter’s skin became nice and white. His lips became as red as a rose. The bugs disappeared from his skin. Peter was even more handsome than before! So the next day, Peter and the princess were married.
THE END
Once upon a time there lived a poor couple who earned their living by farming. They had no children so they kept a dog who was a very grateful dog. He didn’t complain like other dogs do, instead he was thankful for what he got. The couple loved him very much in return. One day, when the farmer was doing what he did every day, the dog seemed to be hiding from someone. But after some time, everything was normal again. That night, the farmer got a very strange dream. A beautiful lady came near him and said, ’’Your dog was hiding from me. And if someone hides from me, then good things will happen to the family the person belongs to. ’’ With these words, the lady went away.
At that moment, the farmer woke up. ‘’What a strange dream’’! But soon, the man forgot all about it. One day, about a few months after that, while the farmer was working, his dog began to sniff at something. Now this is not very surprising, for dogs do this every day. But it seemed that the dog truly had found something, for it did this all day, and soon, the farmer began to take some interest, for his dog had never been so happy. So, the farmer called his wife, and together, they began to dig. At last, when they had dug up quite a big hole, they discovered a very big chest. Now the couple became so happy, that they nearly fainted with joy. Together, the farmer and his wife lifted up the chest, and brought it home. And when they opened the chest, they found a lot of gold and silver. Also, not very long after that, a handsome boy was born to the couple.
But the couple still loved the dog as much as they loved him before. But one day, the dog died. The couple soon became so sad, that soon, they too died. Now their son, whom they had named, Peter, was all alone in the world. So first of all, Peter took the gold that was left over, and put it in a little pouch. Then, he went to the shoemaker’s, and he bought five pairs of shoes. Next, Peter took some snacks, and put them in another pouch. And last but not least, he took ten pairs of clothes, and he went into the wide world to seek his fortune. He traveled far and wide, until at last, he came to a great kingdom. Here, Peter began to look for some work. At last, Peter came across an old man, and offered to work for him. The old man at this said, ‘’Very well, you may work for me. But first, I will tell you what you need to do. Every day, you must milk my cow, feed my goat, clean the dishes, wash my clothes, and sweep the house with a broom. If nothing goes wrong, I will give you ten gold coins every week.’’ So Peter began to work for the old man. And in the time of about a year, Peter had earned enough gold coins to buy a new pair of clothes. Also, the old man had said to Peter, ‘’When you feel bored because you have finished all of your chores, you may look into all the rooms you like, except the one with the golden lock.’’ One day, when the old man was out to find food for him and for Peter, Peter began to feel quite bored, he wished to look into all of rooms the little house had.
Now even though the old man had allowed Peter to look into any of the rooms he liked, Peter had saved them for another day. Now Peter wanted to look into one room, and the rest, he would save for later. So Peter entered one of the rooms. And such a room! Everything was made out of gold and silver. Beautiful birds were singing with joy, and there was an indoor garden with colorful flowers, and happy rabbits running about. Peter had never seen such wonders, and so he went into the next room. That was even more beautiful than the room Peter had seen. And so Peter kept looking into rooms, and each one seemed even more beautiful than the last. At last, Peter came to the room with the golden lock. Peter wanted to go in, but suddenly, he remembered the old man’s warning. But Peter was so tempted to go in, that he could not stop himself.
So he opened the door, and went inside. Now as soon as he got inside than his skin became all wrinkled up, his face became black, and his arms and legs were filled with bugs. Peter ran outside the room, outside the little house, and by the bank of a big lake. There, he looked into the water, but all he could see was a very, very, very old man looking back at him. It was now that Peter looked into the water again, hoping that some voice would come out and tell him how to get young again. But no voice came. Peter knew now that his only chance of becoming young again was for him to find out how to become young again, and then to find a way to do it. So Peter walked hopelessly into a big city.
Now Peter went to the king and asked to work for him. At first, everyone laughed at him, but since the king was looking for a gardener to water and take care of his plants, the king appointed him as his royal gardener. Now every now and then, people would ask Peter why he was so old, but Peter just didn’t answer. Now this king also had a daughter, who was more beautiful than the sun and moon. Now one day, the king decided that it was time for the princess to marry. But how could the king decide which one of the suitors was worthy enough for her? Finally, the king decided that the princess would be sent to the king’s closest friend who was also a king. Now in the other king’s garden, there grew a big fruit tree, which had one golden apple, which some men tried to get, but could not reach it. The first man to get the golden apple from the tree would be the one to marry the princess. So the next day, the princess was sent to the other king, and was kept in a cabin.
Meanwhile, many princes from far and wide tried their luck in marrying the princess. When Peter heard this, he too went to try his luck. But everyone just laughed at him. At last, everyone started. Now even though Peter looked so old, it was the rule that everyone who came should be given a horse. So as soon as Peter got his horse, he mounted it, and began to ride. At last, Peter came to the next kingdom. Now Peter was very surprised, for he was the first one there. And to his surprise, he was able to pick the apple without much trouble. As soon as he had the apple, he put it in a golden pouch. Then, he started back. Now the other kingdom was very far, and soon, Peter became tired. So he sat down, and soon, Peter was fast asleep. Now while he was asleep, a young knight was on his way to find the golden apple. As he was crossing the big lake where Peter was sleeping, he saw that Peter had already found the golden apple. The young knight became jealous, so he quietly took the golden pouch which held the golden apple, and went back to the palace. Now before the young knight left, he put another pouch. Now when Peter woke up, he was still very sleepy, so he did not know that this was another pouch.
So he took the pouch, and went back to the palace. But when he came there, he found that the young knight had stolen the real golden pouch, and now everyone just believed that the young knight was the one who had picked the golden apple. So the king had now ordered everyone to come to the wedding of the young knight and the princess. But they were not yet married. So Peter still had a chance to get the princess back. He went in front of everyone and told them that the young knight was not the one who had picked the golden apple. But no one believed him. But then, a voice from a spirit swept across the hall. And at that moment, everyone believed Peter. The young knight was sent out of the kingdom, and was never heard of again. But who would want to get his daughter married to such an old man? But at that moment, the princess stepped into the hall.
She herself wished to marry Peter, for a winner was a winner. And at that moment, everything changed. Peter’s skin became nice and white. His lips became as red as a rose. The bugs disappeared from his skin. Peter was even more handsome than before! So the next day, Peter and the princess were married.
THE END