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Work Shy.
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Bern's Fairy Tales.
- Work Shy.
- Spring is here again and it is time to dig the garden over yet once again. I had just started digging when my dog Wag barked. Someone is at the front door I thought. Placing my fork into the ground I went around the house to see who was at the front door, To my surprise a young man asked me if I had any odd jobs that needed doing. Ah! I thought you are just the visitor that I want. “Can you dig a garden?” I asked. Yes I am an expert digger of gardens and would be only too happy to dig your garden for you.
- “Come in,” I said. “Are these your working clothes or would you like to change into some other clothes. “These clothes are fine for working in,” replied the man and we went around the house into the back garden. I showed him the fork and where I had started digging. “I will pay you five pounds Stirling for digging the garden,” I told him,” “That will be fine with me,” he said. I left him with the fork and went into the back kitchen to make a pot of tea for us both.
- I happened to look out of the back window and got the surprise of my life. The fork dug the garden over but the man was sitting in my old wheelbarrow. He had his eyes closed and I decided to go and see what magic he was using to get the fork to dig on its own. His eyes were closed and he appeared to be asleep from his lips came this little verse. (The Garden is very big, so dig, dig, and dig.) I quietly went back into the house and made the pot of tea. Instead of taking a cup out to him which was my first thought I poured myself a cup and watched from my window. The fork dug and dug, the man still lay in the wheelbarrow and I could see his lips moving. The Garden is very big, so dig, dig, and dig.
- This carried on until midday and the garden was dug completely I asked him in and gave him not the Five pound note Stirling but a piece of Magic Gold. I did not trust the man and was taking a few precautions of my own. The Magic Gold unless I stopped it would automatically come back to my purse. I had made another cup of tea and he drank two cups, with a sandwich made of bread, butter and corned beef.
- After his meal I saw him off the premises and as he left he said, “I will be coming this way soon if you have any work I will be pleased to do it for you.” Calling out my thanks I went into the back garden to see how well the fork had dug my garden. All I saw was the first three forks that I myself had dug the rest of the garden was the same as it was before the man started with his fork. I smiled and went back into the house and there was the Magic gold back in my purse.
- The following day I went into the woods and the first person I saw was Her Majesty Queen Feeanna. I told her my tale of the man that was supposedly digging my garden. Her Majesty smiled and said, “That sounds like Morgenwen has tricked you,” He goes around the country telling people he will dig their gardens but he uses magic that he learned from an old Wizard, that he once looked after, before the Wizard threw him out for being work shy.” I then told Her Majesty about the gold I had given him and of it returning to my purse.
- Some weeks later another man rang my doorbell. He too asked me for work he was a shoemaker he said and would repair all of my shoes that needed repairing. I put together some of my shoes that needed repairing and the man started to repair one of my boots. I watched him through a mirror and then I saw his tools, hammer, needle and thread and some leather were all working away without him doing anything but sit in my chair and sing this little ditty. (Shoes to mend shoes to mend. But not a muscle will I bend.) I got some of my Magic gold ready and when the time came for him to finish. I paid him but this time I did not give him to eat and drink.
- As soon as he had left the house I watched my Purse and as sure as I am sitting here writing, the gold coins came back to me. It was then that I went to my pile of shoes that he had supposedly mended and saw that all were the same as when I had given them to him. I was now, I must admit a little angry. Twice the man had accepted payment without doing the work. Taking out my magic mirror I looked and saw him at the garden of another person.
- As he started his little rhyme, (The Garden is very big, so dig, dig, and dig.) I waved my magic wand and the fork flew into his hands and he was forced to make every movement that the fork made. This time he did dig the garden and I must say between the pair of them man and fork they made a good job of it. This fork of his still has my magic on it and every time he goes to dig a garden he must use the fork.
- If Morgenwen comes to your house to dig your garden or repair your shoes do not let him use his own tools. Sit with him and he must work, as the magic is not possible if a strange person is about and he has to work and is not really work shy.
