Family Fortunes

Once during a visit to earth, Shiva and Parvati passed by the house of a poor farmer.The farmer, his wife an young son were trying to knock down the only guava on tree outside their hut. “They have nothing else to eat,” said Parvati, “Please help them. The farmer is your devotee.” Shiva made himself visible to the family and announced that he would grant them 3 wishes.“Three wishes,” gasped the farmer’s wife. “I wish I were a beautiful princess!” Her wish was instantly granted. A king passing by with his retinue was so smitten by her beauty that he lifted her onto his horse and galloped away.This made the farmer very angry, especially as his wife, instead of shouting for help, seemed thrilled at being carried away.“I wish she would turn into a man-eating tigress!” he hissed.And that’s what happened. The king was so startled to see a tigress instead of a princess beside him that he fainted away.The tigress jumped down from the horse’s back an began to stride back to where her husband and son were standing.The boy, dazed by the turn of events began to cry: “I want my mother. I want my mother!” “All right, all right,” said the farmer who himself wanted his wife back. “I wish she would turn into your mother again.”“Oh well, you did your best,” said Parvati to Shiva as they watched the farmer’s wife run joyfully back to her husband and son. “But see that they at least get the guava they were trying to knock down.”“I will ,” promised Shiva.