The Spirit in the Glass Bottle

In the past, there was a poor woodcutter who worked tirelessly every morning and night, and lived frugally. He finally saved up a little money and said to his son, "You are the only child I have. I want to use the money I have earned through hard work and sweat to support your education. You should study hard and learn some skills. Only when I am old and my hands and feet are not so agile, and I have to sit at home and warm myself, will you have the ability to support me

So, the son went to school and studied very diligently, receiving unanimous praise from the teachers. After graduating from high school, he went to college, but before completing his studies, the little money his father gave him ran out, so he had to drop out of school. After returning home, my father said to him with some sadness, "I can no longer support you in continuing your studies. For now, I can only earn a living
Dear dad, "the son replied," don't worry. Since this is God's arrangement, it will definitely come with hardship. "The next day, the father was going out to gather firewood, and the son also wanted to go with him.
Okay, child, "the father said," let's go together. But you won't be able to handle it, you're not used to heavy physical labor. Also, I only have one axe, I don't have money to buy another one
Don't worry, "the son replied," let's borrow a good one from our neighbors. They will definitely be willing to lend it to me for a period of time, and I will earn enough money to buy a new one and return it to them
So, the father borrowed an axe from his neighbor. The next day at dawn, the father and son entered the forest together. The son enthusiastically helped his father gather firewood.
At noon, my father said, "Let's take a break and have lunch. It's just the right time now
The son picked up his own piece of bread and said, "Dad, you can rest. I'm not tired at all. I'll go around the woods and find some bird nests." "You little fool," the father shouted, "if you run around now, you'll be so tired that you can't even lift your arms later. Stay by my side and rest well
The son did not heed his father's advice and wandered around the woods while eating bread. He was particularly excited that day, eagerly looking up at the lush branches and searching for bird nests. He walked around in the forest and saw an old oak tree with lush branches and leaves. The trunk of the tree was thick and several hundred years old. Standing under the old oak tree, he thought to himself, "There must be many birds building nests on it
Suddenly, he felt a slight movement. The young man held his breath and listened attentively, hearing a low voice saying, 'Let me out! Let me out!' He searched around, but found nothing, as if the voice had come from underground. He then shouted loudly, 'Where are you?'
The voice replied, "I'm here, buried under the roots of the old oak tree. Let me out! Let me out
The young man started digging around the tree roots and finally found a glass bottle in a small pit. He picked up the glass bottle and looked at the sunlight, only to see a small thing resembling a frog jumping wildly up and down in the bottle. Let me out! Let me out! "The little thing shouted again, and the young man, without hesitation, pulled out the cork of the bottle. Speaking too late, then too fast, the elf burst out of the glass bottle and immediately began to grow bigger. In an instant, it became a very terrifying giant, half the height of the old oak tree in front of the young man.
Do you know, "the big monster spoke in a rough and intimidating tone, asking the young man," what reward will you get if you release me
I don't know, "the young man replied fearlessly," how could I know
I must twist your neck for this, "the monster replied.
If you had informed me earlier, I wouldn't have let you out. As for my head, you can't touch it. You must first discuss it with others
What this and that? Anyway, you must accept the reward you deserve. Do you think I was imprisoned there for no reason? No, this is my punishment. I am the powerful Mercury, and no matter who releases me, I will definitely twist his neck
Okay, "the young man Cen Jidi replied," but it's not urgent. First of all, you have to prove to me that the person sitting in that small bottle just now is indeed such a huge creature like you. If you can come out again, I'll be convinced, and then I'll let you handle it
The monster arrogantly replied, "It's a piece of cake." As he spoke, he began to shrink his body, getting smaller and smaller, until he could finally come out of the bottle. As soon as the monster got into the bottle, the young man quickly tightened the cork tightly and casually threw the bottle back to the old place near the tree roots. The monster was defeated in this way.
At this moment, the young man planned to return to his father's side. Unexpectedly, the monster screamed in a mournful voice, "Hey, let me out! Let me out!" The young man replied decisively, "No!" He would never do that kind of stupid thing again. But the demon insisted on asking him to listen to the conditions... promising not to twist his neck and return him a large sum of wealth, which he could never spend or use in his lifetime.
Probably, "the young man replied," you want to deceive me again using the method you just used
If you don't agree, you'll miss out on your opportunity for glory and wealth, "the monster said solemnly." I swear I won't touch a single hair of you
The young man thought to himself, 'Why not take another risk? Maybe he keeps his word.' So, the young man pulled out the cork of the bottle again, and the monster grew bigger and bigger as it emerged, turning into a giant again.
Now it's time for you to receive your reward, "the giant said, handing the young man something in the shape of a rubber paste and notifying him," Use one end of it to lightly touch the wound, and the wound will heal; use the other end to strike the steel, and the steel will turn into silver
I have to give it a try first, "the young man said and walked up to a towering tree. He used an axe to cut off a small piece of the bark, and then gently touched the damaged area with that thing. The bark indeed grew up. It's really good, "he said to the giant," now it's time for us to part ways
The monster thanked the young man for rescuing him, and the young man also thanked the monster for giving him this gift. Then they set off and went their separate ways.
The young man returned to his father's side, and his father grumbled and complained to him, asking him what he had been doing without work for so long. I've told you before that you can't do this job, "he said to his son.
Dad, don't be angry, I will catch up
Hurry up! "Father was furious when he heard this," I want to see how you can do it
Dad, take care of yourself. I can chop down that tree with just one axe
After finishing speaking, he took out the thing, wiped it on the axe, and then suddenly chopped it down with an axe. The iron on the axe has turned into silver, so the blade of the axe has rolled up. I said, Dad, take a look, what kind of broken axe did you borrow? It's completely deformed
Father was stunned when he saw it and said, "It's all because of you! Now you have to pay for their axe, let's see what you can offer to pay! You have really helped a lot
Don't be angry, "the son said," I'll pay for the axe. "" Sigh, you fool, "the father shouted
What are you going to pay for? You're penniless. Your brain may be good, but you know nothing about chopping wood. "After a while, the young man said to his father," Dad, I can't chop anymore. Let's take a break for a while
Ah! What? "The father replied," Do you think I can afford it? I have no choice but to do it. There's nothing you can do here anyway, so you'd better go home. "" Dad, I'm back in the forest for the first time. I can't find my way alone. Let's go home soon, "he said to his father. His anger had subsided a bit, and he agreed to go home together.
After arriving home, the father said to his son, "Go sell this bad axe and see how much it can be sold for. If it's not enough, I'll have to earn it myself to compensate my neighbor with a new axe
My son came to a gold shop in the city with an axe. The goldsmith checked the condition of the axe, weighed it on a scale, and said, "This axe is worth 400 silver coins, but I don't have that much cash in my hand
The young man said, "Alright, then give as much as you have on hand, and the rest will be borrowed from me
So the goldsmith gave him three hundred silver coins and still owed him one hundred.
Later, the young man returned home and said to his father, 'Dad, I have money now.'.
Go ask the neighbor how much his axe is worth
I don't need to ask to know, "my father replied," one silver coin worth six groshin
Okay, let's give him two silver coins worth twelve groshin and repay him even more, "the son said." Look, I have plenty of money. "After that, the young man gave his father one hundred silver coins, informing him that he would never lack money again from now on and would enjoy a peaceful life.
Oh my goodness! "Exclaimed the father," Where did you get so much money from
So, the son reported the incident. The young man used the remaining money to return to university to continue his studies. Afterwards, because the monster gave him something that could heal various wounds, he became a world-renowned doctor.