“What’s wrong Tanner? Is everything ok?” asked Thomas.
“No, everything is not ok! My girlfriend and I are trying to get married, but her parents want me to have more money.” Tanner replied sadly.
“Well is there anything I can do, I hate to see money keep you from the one you love!”
“Unless you were willing to give me enough money to support us both, I don’t think there is much you can do.” Tanner said, not really thinking much of Thomas’ request.
Thomas left the room and after a few minutes returned with an envelope in his hands.
“What is that?” Tanner asked. His curiosity was peaked.
“Let’s just call it an early bonus… and an early wedding present.” A sly smile crept upon Thomas’ face as he handed Tanner the envelope.
What was inside the envelope
Tanner wait until he was alone to open the envelope. He had a feeling he knew what Thomas had done, but he was floored by the generosity that Thomas had showed him.
Soon after Tanner and Laney got married, moved away and got themselves a house. Tanner got a new job, but unfortunately it didn’t pay much more than his last job. They didn’t have to worry though, because the money that Thomas gave them was enough to get by for many years. Five year later they realized that they had run out of the money from Thomas.
“What do we do now? All of our money is gone!” Laney said with a sense of worry in her voice. “We won’t be able to last more than a month!”
“Don’t worry! Thomas help us once, I am sure he will help us once again.”
The next day Tanner headed across town to Thomas’ office.
“Hello Thomas.” Tanner nervously said.
“Tanner hello! How has married life been treating you?” Thomas got up and gave Tanner a big firm hug.
“Actually, that’s why I came here to see you. Laney and I have used up all the money that you gave us for the wedding. I was hoping that you could help us again.” Tanner wasn’t too sure how Thomas was going to respond.
“Oh, of course I will help you Tanner. This is the least I can do for someone who worked so hard for me!” Thomas said, much to Tanner’s surprise.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you. You don’t know how much this means to me and Laney!” Tanner said. He could barely contain his excitement.
Thomas handed Tanner an envelope, much like the one from five years earlier. Tanner was soon back at home with his wife, returning to life as normal. However, even this new money didn’t last forever and a year and a half later they were back in the same spot again.
“Oh Tanner what are we supposed to do this time? We can’t ask Thomas for more money, he will just think we are using him!” Laney cried.
“Don’t worry, I have a plan. I will tell Thomas that you have died and that I need some money to cover the funeral costs. He won’t be able to say no.”
Tanner rushed over to Thomas’ office and cried about his wife’s passing and the costs of the funeral. Sure enough Thomas handed Tanner another check to help him cover all of the funeral costs, and a little extra for his troubles. Tanner couldn’t believe it, he and Laney were able to live off of that check for about a year. Just like last time though, they were out of extra money and Tanner’s job couldn’t sustain them for long.
“Tanner now what? We can’t go back to Thomas again, he already thinks I am dead, there is nothing more you can say.”
“Wait Laney, didn’t you work for Thomas’ sister? Why don’t you go to her and tell her I have died and I am sure she will give you some money.”
So, that is exactly what Laney did, and sure enough Thomas’ sister gave Laney money. What Laney and Tanner didn’t know is that Thomas got lunch with his sister the next day, and she decided to tell him the news that Tanner had died.
“What, that makes no sense. Tanner came to my office and said that Laney had died over a year ago.” Thomas said after his sister told him the news.
“I am not lying, Laney came to me at work and said that Tanner had passes away and that she needed money for the funeral.”
So, they both decided to get down to the bottom of this. After lunch they headed over to Laney and Tanner’s house to see what they could find. As they were walking up to the front door Laney saw that they were coming. Without knowing what else to do they both got on the floor and pretended to be dead. When Thomas knocked on the front door, he noticed that it was open and let himself in. He saw Laney and Tanner dead on the floor and couch and rushed to check on them. However, he quickly realized that they weren’t dead.
“Tanner, Laney I know you’re not dead. Get up.”
They both got up with shame on their faces.
“Look guys, I see what you were trying to do. I don’t want you to be without money, so please come back to work for me and you will be able to live off your salary.” Thomas said.
So Laney and Tanner went back to work for Thomas and they lived a good and happy life.
Bibliography:
The Clever Husband and Wife in Filipino Popular Tales by Dean S. Fansler (1921).
Tanner wait until he was alone to open the envelope. He had a feeling he knew what Thomas had done, but he was floored by the generosity that Thomas had showed him.
Soon after Tanner and Laney got married, moved away and got themselves a house. Tanner got a new job, but unfortunately it didn’t pay much more than his last job. They didn’t have to worry though, because the money that Thomas gave them was enough to get by for many years. Five year later they realized that they had run out of the money from Thomas.
“What do we do now? All of our money is gone!” Laney said with a sense of worry in her voice. “We won’t be able to last more than a month!”
“Don’t worry! Thomas help us once, I am sure he will help us once again.”
The next day Tanner headed across town to Thomas’ office.
“Hello Thomas.” Tanner nervously said.
“Tanner hello! How has married life been treating you?” Thomas got up and gave Tanner a big firm hug.
“Actually, that’s why I came here to see you. Laney and I have used up all the money that you gave us for the wedding. I was hoping that you could help us again.” Tanner wasn’t too sure how Thomas was going to respond.
“Oh, of course I will help you Tanner. This is the least I can do for someone who worked so hard for me!” Thomas said, much to Tanner’s surprise.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you. You don’t know how much this means to me and Laney!” Tanner said. He could barely contain his excitement.
Thomas handed Tanner an envelope, much like the one from five years earlier. Tanner was soon back at home with his wife, returning to life as normal. However, even this new money didn’t last forever and a year and a half later they were back in the same spot again.
“Oh Tanner what are we supposed to do this time? We can’t ask Thomas for more money, he will just think we are using him!” Laney cried.
“Don’t worry, I have a plan. I will tell Thomas that you have died and that I need some money to cover the funeral costs. He won’t be able to say no.”
Tanner rushed over to Thomas’ office and cried about his wife’s passing and the costs of the funeral. Sure enough Thomas handed Tanner another check to help him cover all of the funeral costs, and a little extra for his troubles. Tanner couldn’t believe it, he and Laney were able to live off of that check for about a year. Just like last time though, they were out of extra money and Tanner’s job couldn’t sustain them for long.
“Tanner now what? We can’t go back to Thomas again, he already thinks I am dead, there is nothing more you can say.”
“Wait Laney, didn’t you work for Thomas’ sister? Why don’t you go to her and tell her I have died and I am sure she will give you some money.”
So, that is exactly what Laney did, and sure enough Thomas’ sister gave Laney money. What Laney and Tanner didn’t know is that Thomas got lunch with his sister the next day, and she decided to tell him the news that Tanner had died.
“What, that makes no sense. Tanner came to my office and said that Laney had died over a year ago.” Thomas said after his sister told him the news.
“I am not lying, Laney came to me at work and said that Tanner had passes away and that she needed money for the funeral.”
So, they both decided to get down to the bottom of this. After lunch they headed over to Laney and Tanner’s house to see what they could find. As they were walking up to the front door Laney saw that they were coming. Without knowing what else to do they both got on the floor and pretended to be dead. When Thomas knocked on the front door, he noticed that it was open and let himself in. He saw Laney and Tanner dead on the floor and couch and rushed to check on them. However, he quickly realized that they weren’t dead.
“Tanner, Laney I know you’re not dead. Get up.”
They both got up with shame on their faces.
“Look guys, I see what you were trying to do. I don’t want you to be without money, so please come back to work for me and you will be able to live off your salary.” Thomas said.
So Laney and Tanner went back to work for Thomas and they lived a good and happy life.
Author's Note:
In the original story a doctor's servant wants to get married but has no money. So the doctor gives his a lot of money and lets him leave to get a wife. Everything is fine for a few years, but they eventually run out of money. So they servant goes back to the doctor and asks for more, which he is given. But again after a while the money runs out and he doesn't know what to do. So he pretends his wife died and asks the doctor to pay for the funeral costs, which he does. When this money runs out his wife goes to the doctor's sister and does the exact same thing. The sister gives them money too. Soon they both realize that something is going on and go to investigate. They go to the servants house and find him and his wife lying on the floor dead. They realize that they aren't actually dead, they are just pretending. The doctor isn't mad though. He thinks its all a joke and asks the servant to come back and work for him. I wanted to keep the story the same but set it in modern times, and give the story more dialogue. I wanted to flesh out the characters a bit more.
Bibliography:
The Clever Husband and Wife in Filipino Popular Tales by Dean S. Fansler (1921).
Hi Morgan! Really great job on your story. I really like how closely you connected your story with the original one. I love the message this story sends about greed and not being appreciative of what others do for you. This couple takes full advantage of what Thomas does for them. I think you did a great job with the dialogue of the story and it made it very easy to get into and understand. Although I haven't read the original story, I really liked your interpretation of it.
ReplyDeleteGreat story!You did a good job on setting up in modern times! It's nice how well you kept the story close to the original. I was expecting the doctor to get mad about tanner lying! I've tried a few times with set stories in modern times but have had no success. Can't wait to read some more of your stories!
ReplyDeleteGreat job on your story! I liked how you kept it original, but made it your own at the same time. If I were Thomas, I would be furious! That just goes to show what a great guy Thomas is. I also think readers can relate to the story because sometimes it is hard to find a job that can pay to sustain a life for them and their families. It's a sad truth, but hopefully everyone can find a way to make it work. Great job!
ReplyDeleteThis is a cute story. I found it frustrating and irritating that the couple was so ungrateful to the generosity of Thomas. Initially I wanted the couple to be punished, but I realized it would not do any good to do such. Thomas’ generous offer at the end of the story was also surprising and would not have happened realistically, but it does teach a lessen to those who are in need of it (since it was based off folklore). You did well, good job!
ReplyDeleteMorgan, I really liked this story! I thought it was going to end tragically, but it actually ended up on a good note. That really surprised me, but not as much as the nerve that the couple had to go and keep asking for more and more money. You'd think that they would be smart enough to save up money over all those years that they were basically getting a free ride on haha.
ReplyDeleteHi, Morgan!
ReplyDeleteImmediately, the title has me hooked. My first thoughts are wow, I wish I was friends with a rich doctor. That sounds like the dream, but of course there has to be some sort of catch. How does Tanner have the nerve to ask for more money? Was his original amount not enough?! Although I haven’t read the original, I love your take on the story!