Illustration from The Fisherman and His Wife, a Grimm fairy tale about wishes, greed, and a magical talking fish.
This is a traditional tale collected by the Brothers Grimm.
The story is presented here in its original form.
There was once a fisherman who lived with his wife in a miserable little hut close by the sea, and every day he went out fishing.
One day he was sitting by the water, casting his line, and looking into the clear sea, when suddenly his line was pulled down deep into the water. When he drew it up again, he brought out a great flounder. Then the fish said to him, “Pray let me live; I am not a real fish, but an enchanted prince. What good will it do you if you kill me? I should not taste well. Put me back into the water, and let me swim away.”
“Well,” said the man, “you need not make so many words about it—I would much rather let a fish that can speak go free,” and with that he put it back again into the clear water.
Then the fish went down to the bottom, leaving a long streak of blood behind him. The fisherman got up and went home to his wife in the hut.
“Well, husband,” said the wife, “have you caught nothing today?”
“No,” said the man, “I caught a flounder, who said he was an enchanted prince, so I let him go again.”
“Did you not ask him for anything?” said the wife.
“No,” said the man, “what should I have asked for?”
“Oh,” said the woman, “it is dreadful to have to live always in this miserable hut; you might at least have asked for a little cottage. Go back and call him; tell him we want a small cottage—he will certainly give it to you.”
The man did not much like the business, but he went to the sea. When he came there, the water was quite green and yellow, and no longer so clear as before. He stood at the shore and said:
“Flounder, flounder, in the sea,
Come, I pray thee, here to me;
For my wife, good Ilsebill,
Wills not as I’d have her will.”
Then the fish came swimming to him and said, “Well, what does she want?”
“Ah,” said the man, “she says that when I caught you I ought to have asked you for something. She does not like to live any longer in the hut; she would like to have a cottage.”
“Go home, then,” said the fish; “she has it already.”
So the man went home, and his wife was no longer in the hut, but a neat little cottage stood in its place, and his wife was standing at the door. She took him by the hand and said, “Come in and see how much better this is.” Then they went in, and there was a pretty little parlor, a bedchamber, and a kitchen, and behind the cottage a small garden.
For some time they lived contentedly. But after a while the woman said, “Husband, this cottage is too small for us; go to the fish and tell him we want a large stone castle.”
The man was unwilling, but he went. When he came to the sea, it was violet and dark blue and gray, and thick. He stood there and said:
“Flounder, flounder, in the sea…”
“Well, what does she want now?” said the fish.
“Ah,” said the man, “she wants a large stone castle.”
“Go home,” said the fish; “she is standing before the door.”
So the man went home, and his wife was standing before a great stone castle. They went inside, and everything was far grander than before.
Again, after a time, the woman said, “Husband, this castle is still too small; we must be king.”
The man was frightened and said, “Wife, I do not want to be king.”
“Then I will be king,” said she.
So the man went again to the sea, which was now black and stormy, and called the fish.
“Well, what does she want?” said the fish.
“She wants to be king.”
“Go home,” said the fish; “she is king already.”
And when he came home, she sat on a great throne and wore a golden crown.
But she was not satisfied. “Husband,” she said, “now I will be emperor.”
Again the man went to the sea, which was now raging, and called the fish.
“Well, what does she want now?”
“She wants to be emperor.”
“Go home,” said the fish; “she is emperor.”
But still she was not satisfied. “Husband,” she said, “I will be pope.”
The man was terrified, but he went again. The sea was boiling and foaming, and he called the fish.
“Well, what does she want?”
“She wants to be pope.”
“Go home,” said the fish; “she is pope.”
But the next morning she said, “Husband, I cannot bear this. I will be like God.”
Then the man trembled and said, “Wife, that you cannot be.” But she would not listen.
So he went once more to the sea. It was quite black and stormy, with great waves, and he could hardly stand. He called the fish:
“Flounder, flounder, in the sea…”
“What does she want?” said the fish.
“She wants to be like God.”
“Go home,” said the fish; “she is sitting in her old hut again.”
And there they are sitting to this day.