An evil spirit was wandering around a village. He was looking for some mischief to do. At last he saw a wise old farmer was talking t his son. The spirit hid behind a tree to listen to them.
“Let us plant potatoes this time, instead of maize,” the farmer said.” I think he weather is just right for potatoes now. We should get a good harvest, like last year”. The son agreed with him.
This gave the spirit a wicked idea. “ hee , hee , hee!” he laughed to himself. “ Let the farmer do all the hard work. But he shall not reap the fruits of his labor. I shall take away his harvest”
That afternoon the old farmer set off for his fields as usual. When he got there the spirit jumped out from behind tree.
“So you are hoping for a good harvest, are you” he said, with a civil grin.” Let me see how you enjoy it”. The wise farmers had heard of these civil spirits. He knew they grabbed all that was grown in the fields. But he was a wise man, remember! “Just what do you want?” he asked the spirit
Quietly.
The spirit laughed. “You must give me your entire harvest. Otherwise, I || destroy all your fields. You won’t be able to grow anything ever again.”
The farmer knew that spirits could do terrible things. He had to trick the sport and save his fields and harvest. He thought of a plan “I have a big family to feed . So I cannot give you everything,” be said,”But I shall certainly give you all that grows over the ground, I shall take all that grows under the soil”,
The spirit thought awhile. He knew very; little about farming. He had scene farmers harvest wheat and maize, which grew above the ground, “Only roots grow underground. And they are dirty, grimy stuff,” he thought,” I shall take all the grows above the ground, just as this old foll says” SO he agreed and went away.
When the potatoes were harvested, the spirit popped up in the fields again.” Ha, now you can give me all that has grown above the ground,” he said happily.
The farmers pointed to the bundles of potato plants lying in a corner. ”You can take those. They grew above the ground. I shall keep these potatoes. They grey under the ground”, he said , The sport realized that he had been fooled. He went away, swearing to take revenge.
When the next sowing season came, the spirit once again stopped the farmer on the road. He said, “This time you cannot fool me. I shall take what grows under the ground and you cannot fool me. I shall take what grows under the ground and you can have what grows above it|” The wise farmer agreed silently and went away.
The season he and his son planted maize. soon it was time for the crop to be harvested. Once again the spirit appeared to take his share. “here, you can have all these roots that grew underground. I shall take the maize that grew above the soil,” said the farmer calmly.
The spirit knew he had lost again. he howled with anger and rushed off. He never came back to trouble the farmer again.
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