Two Rascals

          There was once an old woman who lived all alone in a tine house at the edge of a village. She was very poor, and all she had to eat was beans. Of course, she ate a few vegetables from her garden but most of them she took into the village on market day to sell or trade for what little she needed for her simple life. But the old woman was very thrifty. She saved some money she bought a cake. This cake she kept in her closet and money in her bag hanging from a hook. She thought that she would finish the cake in four to five day. But one evening a couple of young men who were traveling through the country stopped at the old woman’s house and asked if they could have lodging for the night. The old woman had no extra beds, but she offered to spread a blanket on the floor for the young men to sleep on. They said the old woman told them. I am happy to have the company. I’ll serve you a delicious cake. She also served them meal which she had prepared for herself. The she went to the kitchen and got out her pots and pans to prepare meal for herself.

          The young men were delighted to see the cake and meal. They were very happy with the generous behavior of the old woman. Seldom were they offered such good food in their travels. But those two young men were a couple of rascals, and right away a roguish idea came into their minds. They decided to steal the money that night while the old woman was asleep.

          After they had eaten their fill, the old woman spread out a bed for the young men on the floor. She said goodnight and wised them good dreams and then went into her own room to sleep. Of course, the young men didn’t go to sleep. They lay on the floor joking and talking about how nice it was going to be to have money. When they felt sure the old woman was asleep, the young men got up and crept to the closet. They took the bag down from the hook and wrapped the money in handkerchief. One of the young men put the money in his travelling bag. Then the two young men lay down to sleep with smiles on their faces. They had very good dreads indeed.

          But the old woman hadn’t gone to sleep either. In the many years of her life she had became a good judge of character, and she had noticed the rascally look in the young men’s eyes. She knew she had better be on her guard. When she heard the young men getting up form their pad on the floor, she went to the door and peeked out. She saw everything the young men did.

          Later that night, when they men were sound asleep, the old woman crept from her room. She took the money from the travelling bag and hid it under her bed. Then she wrapped a lump of clay in a handkerchief and put it in the travelling bag.

          When the young men awoke in the morning, they were anxious to be on their way. But the old woman insisted they stay for a bite of breakfast. ‘It will give you strength’ she told them. ‘You have a long day of walking ahead of you. And you may not have anything else to eat all day’. One of the young men winked at the other as he sat down at the table and said, ‘You’re probably girth, but who know? Last night I dreamed that today my friend and I would be eating good food all day long.’ ‘Is that right?’ the old woman replied. ‘Tell me more about your dream. I’m fascinated by dreams. I believe they are sometimes true’.

          The young men thought he’d really make fun of the old woman. He smiled at his friend and then said, ‘I dreamed we were in a beautiful land and sitting under a tree. We had a lot of money to spend. ‘Aha!’ spoke up the second young man. ‘Now I remember that I also had the same dream. And I remember that the land was full of money,’ the young men had to cover their mouths to keep bursting out laughing.

          But the old woman didn’t seem to notice. In fact, she seemed to be taking them very seriously. ‘I had a similar dream last night myself!’ she exclaimed, ‘I was in beautiful land but there were some rascals who did not spare even old persons.’ At this, one man felt some prick in his heart, but the other man said ‘Oh, well, it was just a dream.’ Biting his lips to keep from laughing.

          They hurried to finish their breakfast and then went on their way, laughing at the old woman’s foolishness. All morning long the two rascals joked about the old woman as they traveled the road. As midday approached, they began to grow tired. They sat down under a shady tree to rest.

          ‘Well, now ‘said the first young man as he leaned back and closed his eye. ‘Don’t you think it’s time for dreams to come true? Here we are sitting under a tree, just as I dreamed. Open up the handkerchief so that we may have money without any hard work. Let see how much money do we have? No sooner did he open the handkerchief than they became stunned to see that there was a lump of clay instead of the bundle of money.