#1- Two sides
Once upon a time in a land not too far away, there lived a woman who had lived a good-enough life and now she thought is the time for kids.
“I want two children,” she decided and unlike other women, she didn’t have to wait, try or pray and hope because she had worked as the assistant of a big magician who had liked her dedication to the work. As a reward, he told her some long-lost spells that were too good to be used often.
“Use in them in good time,” he told her before he vanished from her life.
One of these spells was to get children. So she used it and got two. The spell had a condition though…the two children would be different sides of each other. One would be the night and one would be the day.
The two children, Mani and Vani were the light of her life and she lavished all her love and care on them, but soon she started noticing that Mani always needed a bit more help. When they went out to play, Mani was sadder when he lost than Vani who just played on. When they painted Mani wanted a bigger picture, Vani was happy with whatever size she drew. When they studied Mani wanted more time Vani never asked for more time.
The woman loved both, but her heart bled for the pain she saw Mani go through.
“He thinks so much, he feels even more. Vani will be fine but Mani needs me more.” Without even realising it, her heart grew more attuned to Mani’s cries and his tantrums while Vani’s voice grew fainter.
One day, many years later the magician returned. The woman rejoiced and called him home for a big dinner.
During the dinner, she couldn’t stop talking about Mani’s problems. They were so many, and it was a long dinner.
After listening and eating (not in that order) the magician finally asked her…"so what can I do for you”
“Please help Mani,” she said.
“Mani and Vani are opposite sides. You knew that when you spoke the spell, yet you chose one over the other. That’s a big mistake. I will not make that mistake so I will help both.”
The woman was only too happy for his help and gladly sent them out with him.
She packed a mini meal for them as she sent them, but despite his words she could not help herself and packed a bit extra for Mani because he always said he loved something sweet after a meal.
“Vani can look after herself. She is fine. She’s always been fine, plus I just have such a few jalebis. She will understand.” thought the woman as she packed in the sweet jalebis for Mani. Then she had another thought, “I will make a ring for both of them to remind them of home and the right thing. Especially Mani needs it, he forgets so much. He needs help knowing the right thing to do. I will give him a special ring that will help him with good advice.”
She made that ring with a spell and a lock of her hair for both of her children. Then again she thought of Mani, “he needs something more, he is too trusting.” So she cut her finger and let a drop of her blood fall onto Mani’s ring where it sizzled and disappeared. “that will keep,” she said with a smile and went to give the rigs to the children.
“I will learn all the spells from this old man and become a greater magician,” said Mani as he packed.
“There is no end to what he can teach us,” said Vani packing some warm clothes and socks.
So the two left with the magician with their dreams.
They had walked a little distance when they all felt tired. It had been a delicious meal and everyone knows a good meal needs a good sleep. They found a good spot to sleep and lay down.
Mani was a little upset that the magician did not conjure up a soft bed and lay down on the dusty road like a commoner, but he decided to not bring that up right now. Yet no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t sleep on the road and kept imagining how people walking down the road would look down upon him. “This way I cannot sleep,” he said sitting up. “Let me walk a little further, I want to get away from this road and the eyes of the passer-byes.”
Saying this he walked away and took his food bag with him because you never know when hunger strikes.
As he sat down a little further, he heard someone singing, “a coin today, two tomorrow and then a little more…I know the song for the tune of a coin a day.”
Mani’s ears pricked up and he walked towards the sound. An old tinker man was sitting in the clearing and there was a flicker of gold around him. The flicker disappeared as soon as Mani spoke to the man.
“Hello, who are you and can you turn a coin today to two tomorrow?”
The man looked at Mani with scorn, “I can and I will but I do not answer little pitchers with ears too big for their own good.”
“I may be a little pitcher but I will be a great magician one day,” spluttered Mani in anger.
“Oh is that so?” jeered the tinker.
“Yes, my master is a great magician- O Wan Ho. He has promised to make me one because I have all the makings of one. He said so himself.”
“O Wan Ho is back,” said the tinker man. “I thought he was gone for long.”
“He was and then he came back because my mother got my sister and me from a spell and we are magical you see. Now of course he prefers me to my sister who is not that strong in magical abilities,” continued Mani not caring for the truth.
“Is that so,” said the tinker and an evil glint came in his eyes which Mani was too lost in his own dream to see.
“Well in that case I will share my spell with you. If O Wan Ho can see your abilities, I should not be too bling to them. But as a magician, you should know that nothing is gained from nothing. I need a token from you. What can you give?”
Mani thought hard. He knew his ring was magical and he knew Vani had one too. “What does she need one for,” he thought. “When I become a great magician I will be all she needs.”
“Just give me a moment and I will be back,” he said to the tinker man.
“Vani wake up,” said Mani waking her up. “I need your ring, it's very important.”
“Mother gave us both a ring, you use yours if that’s so important.”
“No I need mine, you can give yours,” insisted Mani. Then he spoke to his ring, “mother tell her to give it to me.”
“Do as he says, listen to him,” said the ring and because it was stronger, Vani couldn’t say no.
Mani ran with the ring to the tinker man.
“See I got you a better ring, it's my sister’s and it's strong.”
The tinker took the ring.
“Now give me my spell,” said Mani
"The tinker smiled his evil smile and whispered the spell words to Mani and then taking the ring he disappeared.
Mani went running back to Vani but he couldn’t see her anywhere. “Maybe she’s hiding. Just like her to play a game without me,” he sulked.