Loy

The golden fish

(Brothers Grimm and Alexander Pushkin)

Once upon a time there was a poor fisherman who lived with his wife in a hut on the beach. One fine day he went out fishing, because there was nothing left to eat in the house.

Unfortunately, the fishing was not lucky: the first time he pulled up the net, he caught an old boot. The second time he brought up seaweed and mud. The third time, finally, he caught a fish, but it was tiny. The little fish begged him: “Let me go! I am the golden fish, I can grant any wish you wish”. The fisherman untied the net and released the little fish: “I would have freed you anyway, you're so small. Besides, I already have everything I need to live well”.

The little fish swam away: “Thank you, you are a wise man! But if you ever need anything, give a whistle and I'll be there." The fisherman returned home and told his wife about the golden fish. The woman scolded him: “What a fool! We live in a hut. You could have asked him to build us a brick building, with a proper roof. In fact, go ask him."

The fisherman, to avoid hearing his wife's whims, returned to the seashore and called the little fish with a whistle: "It wouldn't help me, but my wife asked for a palace".

"Don't worry" - replied the little fish - "go back home and you will find that I have already fulfilled your wish". The fisherman returned home and instead of his hut he found a wonderful palace.

But the peace didn't last long: after a few days, his wife began to insist: “I don't feel like being a simpleton; ask that little fish to turn me into a noblewoman”. And the fisherman, to avoid tantrums, went to the seashore and called the little fish, explaining his wife's wish and asking him to fulfill it.

When he returned home, he found a palace with servants and horses. His wife was in a room furnished with precious carpets and paintings. But the happiness did not last long: the following week the fisherman's wife began to torment him: "I should be a queen, rather than a noblewoman! Ask the golden fish to turn me into a queen”.

And the fisherman went back to the seashore and called the little fish. This time, she admonished him: “I will grant your wish, but remind your wife that in life you have to be content with what you have. He has already had a lot and if he asks for anything more, he will lose everything.”

The fisherman returned home, which by now had become a castle. He went up to his wife's rooms and brought back the fish's words. But his warnings were not enough: after a few days, his wife entered his room saying: “It is not possible that I am only a queen; I should be the empress of this country”. But he didn't have time to finish the sentence when the earth began to shake under his feet. In no time at all, the castle vanished and the two found themselves in their hut by the sea.

The little fish swam away: “Thank you, you are a wise man! But if you ever need anything, give a whistle and I'll be there." The fisherman returned home and told his wife about the golden fish. The woman scolded him: “What a fool! We live in a hut. You could have asked him to build us a brick building, with a proper roof. In fact, go ask him."

The fisherman, to avoid hearing his wife's whims, returned to the seashore and called the little fish with a whistle: "It wouldn't help me, but my wife asked for a palace".

"Don't worry" replied the little fish "go back home and you will find that I have already granted your wish". The fisherman returned home and instead of his hut he found a wonderful palace.

But the peace didn't last long: after a few days, his wife began to insist: “I don't feel like being a simpleton; ask that little fish to turn me into a noblewoman”. And the fisherman, to avoid tantrums, went to the seashore and called the little fish, explaining his wife's wish and asking him to fulfill it.

When he returned home, he found a palace with servants and horses. His wife was in a room furnished with precious carpets and paintings. But the happiness did not last long: the following week the fisherman's wife began to torment him: "I should be a queen, rather than a noblewoman! Ask the golden fish to turn me into a queen”.

And the fisherman went back to the seashore and called the little fish. This time, she admonished him: “I will grant your wish, but remind your wife that in life you have to be content with what you have. He has already had a lot and if he asks for anything more, he will lose everything.”

The fisherman returned home, which by now had become a castle. He went up to his wife's rooms and brought back the fish's words. But his warnings were not enough: after a few days, his wife entered his room saying: “It is not possible that I am only a queen; I should be the empress of this country”. But he didn't have time to finish the sentence when the earth began to shake under his feet. In no time at all, the castle vanished and the two found themselves in their hut by the sea.

Alexander Pushkin