My Little Nut Tree – a warning about wishes

The other week I heard that children’s rhyme about nutmegs and golden pears. It goes like this:

I had a little nut tree. Nothing would it bear,

But a silver nutmeg and a golden pear.

I thought how lovely it would be to have a tree that was covered with silver nuts and laden with golden fruit. Wow! But then I had another think and I wrote this little rhyme:

It all began one winter. I was sick of nuts to eat,

So I asked my little nut tree for a very special treat.

When spring arrived my garden was all lit up with the glare

From a shining, silver nutmeg and a gleaming, golden pear.

‘What luck!’ I thought but people came from miles around to stare

At my super, silver nutmeg and my gorgeous, golden pear.

Some of them were greedy and I knew I must take care

Of my solid silver nutmeg and my great big golden pear.

So I hired guards with snarling dogs and a sign that said, ‘Beware!’

To protect my lovely nutmeg and my precious, golden pear.

But the guards gave me a bill and said, “You know it’s only fair.”

I couldn’t pay. I only had a nutmeg and a pear.

They shouted and got angry and it gave me quite a scare,

So I paid them all I had… which was the nutmeg and the pear.

That winter I was hungry. I’d not even nuts to eat.

So I made a wish and asked my tree for yet another treat.

It worked! I have a nut tree and lots of nuts it bears.

Not a single, silver nutmeg and no silly, golden pears.

I guess we should think carefully before we wish for things.