The Boy and the Jhin
“Do you… want a magic shovel?”
Once there was an nearly all powerful Jhin who was chained to a small town by the rules of gods and men.
The Jhin was forced to grant one wish to every person who came his way. The residents of the town would come to him once in their life and solve their hearts desires.
“Oh great Jhin, I wish for a mansion that stands upon the grandest hill so I may be the envy of everyone in the town.” one would ask
So the Jhin would reach into the ground and pull a mountain from the earth. He would then shape the trees, forests, and stone into a beautiful mansion that almost glowed in the sunlight.
“Oh great Jhin, I ask for the most perfect body in peak physical condition so I may be the best at any sport I play.” another would request
So the Jhin would pluck a leaf from the ground and infuse it with the soul of growth. He would direct the human to eat it, causing their body to morph and shift like a blob of clay until they had the most perfect form.
“Oh great Jhin, I would like to fall in love with the one most perfect for me so I may finally be happy and fulfilled.” another would beg
So the Jhin would scan the towns souls and find the most perfect match for the requester. Calling on the great winds, he would summon a mighty storm, and quietly direct the two souls to take shelter together in the same house.
With every request the Jhin felt extremely bored. He was exhausted by these people's silly requests and questions. But he was bound, and he had to follow the rules.
One day, a little boy came up to the Jhin. He was a peasant boy, healthy, but with nothing much to his name. Jhin rolled his eyes to himself. There was no doubt in his mind that the boy would wish for wealth beyond his dreams.
“Oh great Jhin-”
Here we go, thought the Jhin, cracking his knuckles.
“I ask you to fix my shovel.”
The Jhin blinked. “Your… shovel?”
The boy raised his shovel. The head had come off of the handle.
“Do you… want a magic shovel?”
“No thanks,”
“An unbreakable golden shovel?”
“Nah,”
“A shovel that rivals the powers of the earth gods?”
The boy frowned and looked at his shovel. “I really would just like this one please.”
“You know you only get one of these right?”
“Yeah I know. My usual shovel fixer is sick today. I figured you’d do a decent job.”
The Jhin was beyond offended that this child, this small minded child, would leverage his immense cosmic power for a “decent” shovel fixing job.
“What are you planning to do with this shovel?”
“I’m making a little garden,” said the boy, pointing towards the most abysmal and tiny green patch the Jhin had ever seen.
“You know what I am right?” asked the Jhin, “I could give you a beautiful home, a perfect body, a perfect love beyond your wildest dreams.”
The boy frowned again. “Well I have all of those things don’t I?”
The Jhin looked into the boy's soul, and saw a warm little house with a rusted door, strong lungs and a beating heart, and laughter and warmth around a dinner table.”
“I suppose you do…”
“What I really could use right now… is my shovel.”
The Jhin gave the boy a bemused smile. “I could grant you the most beautiful garden in all the country.”
“Nah, I’d rather do that myself.”
So the Jhin picked up the pieces of the boy's shovel, bound the head and handle with a good bit of twine, and handed it back to the boy.
The boy walked away after giving his thanks, leaving the Jhin utterly confused, and a little lighter.