CANADA'S SOURCE FOR MAGICAL HUMOUR, PARODY, AND SATIRE

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VANCOUVER-- Many will say that wishes have no fixed cost, and Tawni Billings will agree. The attractive 23-year-old bank teller made a wish at the fountain in Queen Elizabeth Park and decided it wasn't worth the one-dollar coin she tossed into its waters.

Tawni Billings retrieves change from fountain after wishmaking session.

Instead of reneging on her wish, Tawni decided to wade into the ankle-deep waters, and extract ninety cents in change from the fountain's overflowing bowl.

"The wish I made was only worth ten cents," said Tawni. "Of course I can't tell you what that wish was--it wouldn't come true."

Dr. Edward Morton, professor of Norse Mythology and Pagan Studies at the University of Leicester, is not quite sure what to make of the modern practice.

"It is generally accepted that you need only throw in a coin--any coin--to make your wish. Nowhere is anything known or written about removing 'change' from your original wish coin. Unless you were to take more money back than you threw in I suppose."

In Norse history, wishing wells were said to be used in magical practices where people threw chickens and elk horns into sacred pools, then wished for fair weather and good harvests. Perhaps on occasion, the Norse people only threw partial chickens.

Tawni thinks the wishing practice is fair, and she admits she would do it again.

"One time I threw in a quarter, but I made two wishes. Neither of them came true. But in all fairness, I was wishing 'big-ticket'. Maybe asking for a Miata and a raise was too much for twenty-five cents."

Dr. Morton concluded that the spirit of the wishing was what was important, and that only the person making the wish can place a value on it.

"It is usually regarded that if you take back your original coin, your wish will not come true, or in the case that the wish has already been fulfilled, you may encounter bad luck, or that your original wish may turn afoul," added Morton. "I can see no harm in exacting change in an honest manner."

Dr. Morton had hoped to talk to Tawni more about the experience, but that was just wishful thinking.

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