No story museum would be complete without a unicorn.
Mythstories was lucky enough to be donated its unicorn when its maker was presented with an ultimatum by his wife.
“Either that thing goes or I do!”
Wood Turner Alf Jones was a near neighbour of the Mythstories curators and he knew just where his unicorn would find a welcome and soon thereafter it was to be found on display in the “Telling and Listening Room” at Mythstories museum in The Morgan Library, Wem.
Mythstories used the unicorn to introduce the popular, traditional, dilemma story “One Wish, Three Wishes“.
A woodcutter lives in the woods with his wife and mother and father. But his housemates are unhappy. His wife longs for a baby; his mother is blind and yearns for her sight to be renewed; and his father craves riches.
One day the woodcutter goes out with his bow and arrow to see if he can find them something to eat. He comes to a clearing he sees movement and raises his bow. As he looks along the shaft of the cocked arrow he sees a beautiful unicorn. His family are hungry but should he kill such a creature? And at that moment the unicorn speaks…
“Spare my life and I will grant you a wish.”
The woodcutter lowers his bow. What would you wish for? He can’t think, he needs time, and the unicorn assures him he can have time to consider and talk things over with his family.
Back at his hut you know what each family member pleads with him to wish for.
And then a brainwave, and he knows just what to do.
“I wish my mother could see my baby in a golden cradle.”
And everyone lives happily ever after!
