by
Angela USA
A fisherman and his wife lived in a poor cottage by the sea. The fisherman went fishing every day while his wife cooked and cleaned. They had lived in this manner for 30 years.
One day the fisherman got a pull on his line. He pulled it in and saw a fish. It was gleaming, as if gold. The fish spoke to him.
"Grandfather, please do not kill me. If you will let me back into the sea, I will give you whatever you want." The fisherman was so astonished he was speechless. But he recovered his senses and sent the gold fish into the sea.
Later, he told his old wife what had happened. The wife was very angry.
"You fool!" she cried. "Why did you not ask him for a new tub? Our's leaks!" And she showed him the rotted wooden tub.
So the fisherman went back to the sea. He called out, "Gold fish! My wife wishes for a new tub." The gold fish popped out of the water and said, "Since you have been so kind to me, your wish is granted." And he dissapeared.
The fisherman went back into his cottage. His wife stood there, waiting for him. In her hands she held a new bath tub.
"O wife, now you are pleased. Let us retire," the fisherman said, and went back into the house. But his wife grabbed him by the arm.
"In the morning, go back to the sea and ask for a new house. A bigger one." So the fisherman and his wife went to bed.
The next morning, the fisherman went out to sea and called out, "O gold fish! My wife wishes for a large new house!" The gold fish popped his head out of the sea and said, "So it shall be." And he dissapeared into the waves.
The fisherman went back home. His home was no longer there. In its place was a large hut. His wife was there. She smiled and led him into the house. She showed him the new rooms, with carpets, and the cupboards full of food. They sat down to eat. When they had finished their meal, the wife said, with a greedy glint in her eyes, "Husband, now go back down and ask of the fish a new house. A mansion!" The fisherman protested. "No! YOu have a new tub and a new house. What more could you want?" But the wife pushed him angrily outside and shut the door behind him.
The fisherman went down to the coast and called out, "Gold fish! My wife wishes for a mansion!" The fish came from under the waves and said, "It is already done." So the fisherman went back to the hut, which was now a mansion. He told his wife, who was waiting at the door," Perhaps you are pleased now, and we can have some peace." But the wife was still not satisfied. She told him to go make them a castle. The fisherman protested, but she shut him out and he had no choice.
He got to the sea and cried, "O Fish! my wife wishes for a castle." And so it was. But then the wife wanted to be Queen, and for him to be King. "I do not want to be Queen," the fisherman said. "Let me rest. I am weary." So the wife let him sleep, but in the morning, he went out and asked for his wife to be queen. And so it was.
He went back home, to his grand casstle with his queen wife and his servants. But the queen did not think he was good enough for her, and pushed him out. But the next morning, she saw the sun rising and wanted to be a god. So she found her husband and told him to go down to the coast to make her a god. The fisherman was not pleased, but she was queen, and what could he do? he went down into the turbulent waves and called, "O Golden Fish! My wife wishes to be a god!" The fish poked his head out from under the waves, and said, "Go home and see what you find." So the fisherman went home and found his wie sitting at the door of their old cottage, holding a wash tub that was falling apart. She scowled, but did not say anything.
The fisherman was blessed for the rest of his life, but the old wife found bad luck around every corner. She died when she fell off a cliff, for she hated all the stones she tripped on and the fruit that spoiled when she came near. The fisherman married a good, king woman and they lived happily ever after.
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