What They Wished

In 1656, when Daniel Pedoe was a mortal, he wanted it all. When he saw the king or his governors riding in their carriages, Daniel wanted the carriage, the horsemen, and the castle they came from. When he walked through the marketplace, he wanted the booths and all the goods in them. When the aristocrats made their purchases, he wanted all their money and to be addressed as "my Lord."

But Daniel was only a poor Dover merchant. He mustered a meager living buying handicrafts in the countryside, then selling them at inflated prices in the London marketplace.

Near Dover he scolded the artisans for supplying shabby tea kettles and baskets. But in London, Daniel told his customers these same goods were the finest in the world, crafted by the personal tinsmith of the Queen of England. He pointed out to each customer that a person of their high birth must be able to appreciate the meticulous detail of the work.

And when Daniel saw the sun glisten off the tall, brass bottle that floated onto the beach near Dover, he planned on advertising it as an ancient bottle from the court of Siam. He imagined the horse that he could buy with this prize.

Examining the bottle, Daniel noticed foreign writing on the side, definitely scrawled by some heathen hand. A good story about this message would raise the price. While dreaming of an explanation, steam began whistling from the cap of the bottle. He dropped the bottle in his shock. Steam billowed into a cloud, the dense cloud filling out to become as tall as two men. The image of a dark, maybe black, man appeared in the steam. A naked broad chest and bald head were visible, although the haze made it hard to distinguish features. But the man was as large as the huge billowing cloud.

The giant searched his new surroundings and noticed Daniel gaping wide-eyed below him. The giant's voice pounded like a fist into Daniel's stomach. "You have opened the Lamp of Shiawasay," he said. Daniel thought the giant was angry. "What year is this, pale human? And what land am I in?"

"'Tis the year of our Lord 1656," Daniel said, so much quieter than the giant that Daniel was afraid he might not be heard. "And this is England."

The giant laughed loud enough that Daniel put his hands over his ears. "Two hundred and fifty years ago I was cast into the ocean north of Africa. And now, tiny man, it is your turn." The giant grinned playfully at Daniel. "What are your three wishes?"

Daniel now realized that the giant was his servant. A sly smile whipped across Daniel's face. He looked up and mentioned his first instinct.

"I want money, a lot of it," Daniel said with confidence.

The genie raised his bulging arms and shouted a command, startling Daniel. When the resonance of the command settled, Daniel looked down at his feet and saw a cloth bag. When Daniel opened the bag, he was angry.

"This is not what I asked. It be but one hundred crown. This pittance will not meet my tastes."

The genie's cannon-loud laugh stopped Daniel. "This money is more than many shall see in their lives. Your first wish has been granted. Ask of me again."

Daniel didn't want to be fooled again. "I want a castle where I will be lord. And not something puny, either. I want a grand castle with twenty rooms. And I want it near Dover so I can see the ocean."

The genie raised his arms and shouted unfamiliar words into the air. When the echo became faint, Daniel was surprised to see nothing had changed.

"Where be my castle?" Daniel demanded.

... end of sample ...