Equatorial Guinea

In a folktale from Equatorial Guinea, a young man is offered gold as his wages, but asks for a sack of sand.

The tale is told among the Fang people. Three brothers set out to work, and when the youngest is to be paid, there is gold to be had. He wants only sand. There is none in his village.

On the way home, he meets a sick sorcerer. The illness makes his body rot, and the only medicine that helps is sand. The young man opens the sack and lets him take as much as he wants.

As thanks, the sorcerer makes him a ring. He had said no to gold. Now he was given a gold ring that grants wishes.