Once there was an old. She was very poor and she lived all by herself in a mud hut. It was a very small hut and the rain came through the roof. There was no tap and she had to carry her water from the pump. Outside her door there was a beautiful jasmine tree. It grew beside her door. The little white jasmine flowers looked like stars.

One day the little old woman was sweeping up the flowers under the tree. `This is boring,’ she thought. `I do not like sweeping flowers every day. I will cut down the jasmine plant.’

The little old woman took an axe and started to cut down the tree. But when she hit the tree, it said, `little old lady, please do not cut me down’.

`I do not like sweeping flowers,’ said the little old woman. `What will you give if I do not cut you down?’

`I will give you a new house,’ said the jasmine tree.

`Will you give me a house with a tap, two rooms and a good roof/ asked the little old woman.

`Yes I will,’ said the jasmine tree.

The little old woman turned round. Her hut was not there! Instead there was a nice new house. It had a tap, two rooms and a good roof. Outside the new house was the jasmine tree.

At first the woman was very happy. Then she thought, `Why did I ask for a small hose? I really want a nice flat with a kitchen, a bathroom, a bedroom and a living room’.

She took an axe and started to cut down the jasmine tree. When she hit the tree, said, `little old lady, please do not cut me down.’

`What will you give me if I do not cut you down?’ asked the little old woman. `Will you give me a flat with a kitchen, a bathroom, a bedroom and a living room?’

`Yes I will,’ said the jasmine tree.

The little old woman turned round. Her house was not there! Instead there was a big block of flats. She went into the flat at the bottom. It had a kitchen, a bedroom and a living room. Outside the block of flats was the jasmine tree.

At first the little old woman was very happy. Then she thought. `Why did I ask for a flat? I really want a big bungalow with a garden, a television and two servants.’

She took an axe and started to cut down the jasmine tree. When she hit the tree, it said, `little old lady, please do not cut me down.’

`What will you give me if I do not cut down?’ asked the little old woman. `Will you give me a big bungalow with a garden, a fridge, a television and some servants?’

`Yes, I will you all as required,’ said the jasmine tree.

The little old woman turned round. The block of flats was not there. Instead there was a big bungalow with a garden, a television and some servants.

At first the old woman was very happy. And then she next thought, `Why did the jasmine tree give me a bungalow and some gold? Why did not it give me a palace?’ she was so angry that she took the axe and cut down the jasmine tree with one blow.

She turned round, and then turned round and round. Big bungalow was not there. Instead, there was her small old hut. There was no tap and the rain came through the roof-and now there was no jasmine tree. So the little old lady lived in the hut for the rest of her life.