One evening, the daughter-in-law said, “Anni, I have three wishes.” “What wishes?” “First, that you hear what you say. Second, that you see what you do. Third, that you taste your own words before serving them to me.”

“Daughter,” the Anni said with difficulty, “what did you put in the pickle?” “Nothing, Anni. But maybe the cat has developed a taste for spicy things.” The Anni understood and never stole again. A gentle lesson is better than a loud accusation. 4. The Daughter-in-Law’s Three Wishes An old Anni constantly criticized her daughter-in-law: “Too slow! Too loud! Too much salt! Too little rice!”

Once, there was an old Anni who pretended to be sick so she wouldn’t have to do any housework. She lay on the cot, groaning, “My back! My legs!” The daughter-in-law did everything—cooking, cleaning, fetching water.