IT IS said that when Alexander the Great lay dying, he made three strange wishes. Faced with the prospect of never seeing his mother and his homeland again, this great warrior, this legendary conqueror of many lands, made three odd wishes. He gathered all his generals and told them his dying wishes.

The first was that only his physicians would carry his coffin. The second was that the path in which his coffin would pass should be strewn with gold, silver, and other precious items that he had collected in his conquests. And the third wish was that both his hands should be dangling outside the coffin.

Probably the generals would have thought these strange commands because they were at the very least, peculiar indeed. But this was their leader and they had no choice but to comply. But one particular general could not help himself and so he approached his dying leader and asked the reasons for the wishes.

The great Alexander then said: "The reasons I made those wishes is to show the world the lessons I have learned. I have asked my physicians to carry me to my grave because there is no doctor who can truly heal me. They are powerless in the shadow of death. Life should not be taken for granted.

"As for my second wish, I would like to tell the world that even though I have spent my entire lifetime accumulating the riches of this world, I cannot take them with me. It is a waste of time chasing wealth. And as for the third wish, I hope that people will understand that I came into this world empty handed and empty handed will I leave it also.

Soon after that Alexander died. And it said that all his wishes were granted.