The Genie’s Gift

Long ago, when the world was young, the spirits were presenting themselves before the Great Creator to receive gifts. As the genie presented himself the Creator asked, “And you, genie, what would have Me give you?” The genie answered, “O, Great Creator, I love the people you have made. I would like to make them happy. Would you give me the gift of granting wishes?”

The Creator smiled and then was silent for a while. “You ask for your gift in love and so I will grant it. But I give you this caution: although the people are in their infancy in my world, already their hearts have slanted from wisdom to folly. I fear they will often make wishes from their vanity and greed and in so doing multiply their sorrows, rather than add to their happiness. Therefore, you will only be found by those who learn to search for you, and you will have the freedom to add a condition to their wish, that in the end they may learn wisdom.”

Ages passed. In one such age, there lived a young woman who was very ordinary. Often she would run her fingers through her thin hair and imagine it was thick and wavy. She would press her thin lips together and long for them to be full. In her heart of hearts, this ordinary girl wanted to be beautiful.

As fate would have it, she learned of a rumor that a genie could be found who would grant her a wish. She searched for the genie – following ancient rumors until they led her to a high mountain lake. The genie, pleased by her searching, met her there.

“For what wish have you labored, toiled and searched, my child?” He asked.

“Oh, genie,” she sighed. “I wish I were beautiful.”

The genie was accustomed to such wishes and had learned not to be disappointed. “You shall have your wish,” he replied. “But that you may perhaps also learn wisdom, I send you with a gift.” He handed her a beautiful, silver hand mirror, a great rarity in those days. “In this mirror you may behold the beauty I have given you. But beware – for every moment you gaze at your beauty, your next glance will show you less. Should you find your wish an unexpected burden, return here with the mirror I’ve given you, and you will be relieved of it.” With that, he disappeared.

The woman was ecstatic. She held the mirror in her hands, determined not to look in it. But how could she know for sure her wish was granted? Surely one quick glance wouldn’t take too much beauty from her. Finally she held up the mirror and gasped. Never had she seen such a beautiful face. Gone were all traces of ordinary. So taken was she by her reflection that she forgot to look only briefly. Realizing this, she put the mirror down in haste.

Eagerly, she began her journey home. But worry followed her. Had she lost much beauty in her forgetful gaze? What did she look like now? As she neared her home, her worry grew. Finally, before returning she allowed herself another glance- this time carefully quick, for reassurance. Yes, the face was still remarkable, but it had lost something of its divine essence.

She felt both relief and disappointment. But this was forgotten when she returned home. The impact of her beauty was immediate. Soon suitors flocked to her door, pouring out sonnets and poetry and promises. It was intoxicating. Her friends beheld her with wonder and jealousy.

For the first few months she found being beautiful everything she had ever imagined it to be. So you may be surprised to learn that a year later she was back at the mountain lake, desiring to return her mirror.

When the genie saw her, she had retained perhaps half of the original beauty he had given her, but was still lovely enough to draw attention. “Are you done with your wish so soon?” The genie asked.

The woman nodded. “I’m afraid so, my lord. I don’t mean to be ungrateful.”

“Have you learned wisdom?”

The woman nodded again. “I have. I’ve learned that the most radiant kinds of beauty are the kinds that have never admired themselves. A gift of beauty is degraded by an obsession with it. I thought if I could be beautiful I could forget myself, since what was missing was given – but I found I could only think of my face. I constantly longed to see it, to remember how lovely it was, and then I worried about what was lost when I looked.

I delighted in having many suitors, until I realized that they cared nothing for me – they only desired the prize of my face. They wanted to own it like an ornament or a painting. They wanted the pride that came with acquiring something many wanted.

Before I was so beautiful I had several good friends, but my beauty seemed to only harm our friendship. I became vain and pretentious, and they were perhaps jealous. In the end, I found that I was lonely. Beauty has a certain value, but for me, I would prefer to be ordinary again and set my mind to worthier desires.”

With that she handed him the mirror, thanked him, and left. As the genie watched her go, he smiled. For although his gift had been returned, she left more beautiful than she would ever know.