As he came to the end of yet another grueling day among the stench and filth, a small bright object caught his gaze. Pulling it free he saw it was a tarnished and battered old lantern.
He rubbed it gently on his tatty cloths and then dropped it in shock as from its spout appeared a huge puff of bright smoke. When the smoke cleared, towering above him, dwarfing the huge dump that was his home, stood a mighty genie.
When the boy had regained his composure he turned his head skyward.
'Who are you?' he shouted at the top of his voice.
'I am the mightiest of all the genies in the universe' boomed the voice of the genie.
'You have released me from bondage and for this I will grant you a reward of three wishes that men most desire.'
'What is the first wish that men desire?' replied the boy.
'The first', continued the genie, 'is to have great power'
'Yes it is important to have power ' replied the boy then he thought for a minute before continuing, 'so my first wish is for everyone on earth to care for one another'
The genie was frustrated and confused by this answer. 'Why would this make you powerful?'
They boy replied. 'If people began to care then no other children would ever live like me ever again. People who really care would not accept a system where their brothers and sisters suffer to support a better life for others. They would share their power so we would all become powerful. What good is power if we cannot share it?'
Now the genie became angry because this was not the answer he had expected. For there was good reason why the genie had been trapped in the lantern. The genie was incredibly wicked consumed with an extreme greed and lust for power.
The wishes he presented where meant to trick the boy for he knew that for every wish the boy took then he too would also have the power of that wish.... but a thousand times greater.
Reluctantly he granted the wish because he could find no fault in the boy's logic and was bound by the genie oath, through the power of the universe.
'What is the second wish you can grant me?' the boy shouted.
'That you can have wealth beyond your wildest dreams, be it gold , silver, rubies, money.. you name it, anything you choose', replied the genie.
Then the genie smiled slyly as he looked at the bedraggled tiny figure below him. 'Such poverty, such misery, he would surely be tempted this time,' he thought.
Then the boy spoke and said 'Yes I want wealth'. The genie's eyes gleamed with glee. Then the boy continued ,'Yes I want wealth so... I wish that every person on earth no longer gave store of value to any material be it gold, silver or otherwise such as money.'
The genie was beside himself with rage 'How can you have wealth without this? All men desire it... it is impossible!'
The boy answered. 'Once people no longer believe in these values then they will wake up and realize that our true wealth is life itself. We are blessed to be alive and to be part of the ultimate beauty that is nature. The rest is but an illusion, an illusion of wealth that keeps me and millions more living like this.. living for a pittance'. Once we return to living with nature then I and everyone else will be forever wealthy'
The genie began to fear greatly for his plans were unraveling before his eyes. The words of truth and wisdom of the boy left the genie no option but to grant the wish.
The genie had one last card to play to tempt the boy. He thought hard....
'This is my last wish that I grant you' and with slow deliberation he proclaimed,
'YOU CAN HAVE ANYTHING YOU DESIRE IN THE UNIVERSE!'.
'Then that is easy', said the boy. 'I wish that you and all your temptations that poison the human mind be banished from the universe for ever.'
.
The genie stared down dejected and defeated at this tiny figure below as the reality sunk in that this small boy was far mightier than he. For a brief moment he stood in admiration at a truly powerful and wealthy boy.
Then with a final wry smile and a puff a smoke he vanished from the universe for ever.
