The story is based on a literary folk/fairy tale "Les Souhaits ridicules" (English: "The Ridiculous Wishes" or "The Three Ridiculous Wishes") from France by author
Charles Perrault, originally published in 1694. In 1697 it was included in a book titled "Histoires ou contes du temps passé, avec dez Moralitez" (English: "Stories of Times Past with Moralities"), or "Les Contes de ma Mère l'Oye" (English: "Stories of Mother Goose'").
The origins of the Finnish version "Kolme toivomusta" (literal English translation: Three Wishes) can be traced back to the 19th century. Selected versions from Finland include:
- "Äijän makkarat", from Eura in 1890, told by Kustaa Björni. Included in a book "Suomalaiset kansansadut 2: Legenda- ja novellisadut" (SKS, 1982) by author Pirkko-Liisa Rausmaa.
- "Kolme toivomusta", collected and told by Raul Roine. Included in a book "Poika ja pohjatuuli" (WSOY, 1947). Roine also wrote a different fairy tale with the same name that is also released in several Finnish fairy tale anthologies (e.g. "Kolme toivomusta", Valistus, 1978).
- "Kolme toivomusta", Finnish translation by Tarja Saarikoski. Included in a book "Hanhiemon satuaarre" (WSOY, 1954), which itself is translated from the English language book "The Tall Book of Nursery Tales" (Harper & Row, 1944).
- "Kolme toivomusta", Finnish translation by Marjatta Kurenniemi. Included in a book "Iloisten satujen kirja" (Weilin+Göös, 1984), which itself is translated from the English language book "Fairy Tales and Fables" (Grosset & Dunlap, 1970) by author Gyo Fujikawa.
- "Kolme toivomusta", told by Anja Salokannel. Included in a book "Suomen lasten iltasadut" (Otava, 2015) by authors Laila Hietamies (as Laila Hirvisaari) and Anja Salokannel.