The Fisherman and His Wife

Once upon a time, a fisherman lived with his wife in a dirty little hut right by the sea. Every day he went fishing. One day, as he sat with his fishing rod looking into the clear water, his line suddenly went deep down, and when he pulled it up, he caught a large flounder.

The flounder said to him, "Listen, fisherman, please let me live. I am not really a flounder, but an enchanted prince. What good would it do to kill me? I wouldn't taste good. Put me back in the water and let me go." The fisherman said, "Well, there's no need for many words—a fish that can talk I'll certainly let go." And he put the flounder back into the clear water.

The flounder swam to the bottom, leaving a long trail of blood behind. Then the fisherman got up and went home to his wife in the hut.

"Husband," said the woman, "did you catch nothing today?" "No," said the man, "I did catch a flounder who said he was an enchanted prince, so I let him go." "Didn't you wish for anything first?" asked the woman.

"No," said the man, "what should I wish for?" "Oh," said the woman, "it's so hard to always live in this dirty hut. You could have wished for a little cottage for us. Go back and call him. Tell him we want a little cottage.

He'll surely give us that." "Oh," said the man, "why should I go back there?" "Why?" said the woman, "you caught him and let him go; he'll surely do it. Go at once." The man didn't really want to go, but he didn't want to argue with his wife, so he went to the sea.

When he got there, the sea was all green and yellow, and not so smooth anymore. He stood still and said:

"Flounder, flounder in the sea, Come, I pray you, here to me; For my wife, good Ilsabil, Wills not as I'd have her will."

Then the flounder came swimming up and said, "Well, what does she want?" "Oh," said the man, "I caught you, and my wife says I should have wished for something. She doesn't want to live in the dirty hut anymore. She would like a little cottage." "Go then," said the flounder, "she has it already."

When the man went home, his wife was no longer in the hut. Instead, there stood a little cottage, and she was sitting on a bench in front of the door. She took him by the hand and said, "Come inside, look, isn't this much better?" So they went in.

There was a little porch, a pretty living room and bedroom, a kitchen and pantry, with nice furniture and beautiful things made of tin and brass. Behind the cottage was a small yard with hens and ducks, and a little garden with flowers and fruit.

"Look," said the wife, "isn't that nice?" "Yes," said the husband, "and so we must always think—now we will live contentedly." "We'll think about that," said the wife. Then they ate something and went to bed.

Everything was fine for a week or two, and then the woman said, "Listen, husband, this cottage is much too small for us, and the garden and yard are tiny. The flounder could have given us a bigger house. I want to live in a big stone castle.

Go to the flounder and tell him to give us a castle." "Oh, wife," said the man, "the cottage is good enough. Why would we want a castle?" "What!" said the woman. "Just go; the flounder can do that." "No, wife," said the man, "the flounder just gave us the cottage.

I don't want to go back so soon; it might make him angry." "Go," said the woman, "he can do it easily and will be happy to. Just go."

The man's heart grew heavy, and he didn't want to go. He said to himself, "It's not right," but still he went. When he came to the sea, the water was purple and dark blue, gray and thick, not so green and yellow anymore, but still calm. He stood there and said:

"Flounder, flounder in the sea, Come, I pray you, here to me; For my wife, good Ilsabil, Wills not as I'd have her will."

"Well, what does she want?" said the flounder. "Oh," said the man, half scared, "she wants to live in a big stone castle." "Go to it, then; she is standing at the door," said the flounder.

So the man went, intending to go home, but when he got there, he found a great stone palace. His wife was standing on the steps about to go in. She took him by the hand and said, "Come in." So he went in with her.

In the castle was a great hall paved with marble, and many servants opened the wide doors. The walls were bright with beautiful tapestries, and in the rooms were chairs and tables of pure gold, and crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling.

All the rooms and bedrooms had carpets, and the best food and wine stood on the tables, so full they nearly broke. Behind the house was a great courtyard with stables for horses and cows, and the finest carriages.

There was a magnificent large garden with the most beautiful flowers and fruit trees, and a park half a mile long with stags, deer, and hares—everything you could wish for. "Come," said the woman, "isn't that beautiful?" "Yes, indeed," said the man.

"Now let it be; we will live in this beautiful castle and be content." "We'll think about that," said the woman, "and sleep on it." Then they went to bed.

The next morning the wife woke up first, just at daybreak. From her bed she saw the beautiful countryside lying before her. Her husband was still stretching, so she poked him in the side with her elbow and said, "Get up, husband, and look out the window.

Couldn't we be king over all this land? Go to the flounder; we want to be king." "Oh, wife," said the man, "why should we be king? I don't want to be king." "Well," said the wife, "if you won't be king, I will.

Go to the flounder, for I will be king." "Oh, wife," said the man, "why do you want to be king? I don't want to say that to him." "Why not?" said the woman. "Go this instant; I must be king!" So the man went, unhappy because his wife wanted to be king.

"It's not right; it's not right," he thought. He didn't want to go, but he went anyway.

When he came to the sea, it was dark gray, and the water heaved up from below and smelled putrid. He stood by it and said:

"Flounder, flounder in the sea, Come, I pray you, here to me; For my wife, good Ilsabil, Wills not as I'd have her will."

"Well, what does she want?" said the flounder. "Oh," said the man, "she wants to be king." "Go to her; she is king already."

So the man went. When he came to the palace, the castle had become much larger, with a great tower and magnificent decorations. A sentinel stood before the door, and there were many soldiers with drums and trumpets.

When he went inside, everything was of real marble and gold, with velvet covers and large golden tassels. The doors of the hall were opened, and there was the court in all its splendor. His wife sat on a high throne of gold and diamonds, with a great golden crown on her head and a scepter of pure gold and jewels in her hand.

On both sides stood her maids-in-waiting in a row, each one a head shorter than the next.

He went and stood before her and said, "Oh, wife, now you are king." "Yes," said the woman, "now I am king." He stood and looked at her for a while, then said, "Now that you are king, let everything else be.

We will wish for nothing more." "No, husband," said the woman quite anxiously, "time passes very slowly. I can't bear it any longer. Go to the flounder—I am king, but I must also be emperor." "Oh, wife, why do you want to be emperor?" "Husband," she said, "go to the flounder.

I will be emperor." "Oh, wife," said the man, "he can't make you emperor. I cannot say that to the fish. There is only one emperor in the land. The flounder cannot make you emperor! I promise you he can't."

"What!" said the woman. "I am the king, and you are nothing but my husband. Will you go now? Go at once! If he can make a king, he can make an emperor. I will be emperor. Go now!" So he was forced to go. As he went, he was troubled and thought, "This will not end well. Emperor is too shameless! The flounder will get tired."

When he reached the sea, it was quite black and thick, and began to boil up from below, throwing up bubbles. A sharp wind blew over it, making it curdle, and the man was afraid. He stood by it and said:

"Flounder, flounder in the sea, Come, I pray you, here to me; For my wife, good Ilsabil, Wills not as I'd have her will."

"Well, what does she want?" said the flounder. "Oh, flounder," he said, "my wife wants to be emperor." "Go to her," said the flounder; "she is emperor already."

So the man went. When he got there, the whole palace was made of polished marble with alabaster figures and golden ornaments. Soldiers marched before the door, blowing trumpets and beating cymbals and drums. Inside, barons, counts, and dukes served as servants. They opened the doors of pure gold for him.

When he entered, his wife sat on a throne made of one piece of gold, two miles high. She wore a great golden crown three yards high, set with diamonds and carbuncles. In one hand she held the scepter, in the other the imperial orb.

On both sides stood the yeomen of the guard in two rows, each smaller than the one before, from the biggest giant two miles high to the smallest dwarf as tiny as his little finger. In front stood many princes and dukes.

The man went and stood among them and said, "Wife, are you emperor now?" "Yes," she said, "now I am emperor." He stood and looked at her for a while, then said, "Oh, wife, be content now that you are emperor." "Husband," she said, "why are you standing there?

Now I am emperor, but I will also be pope. Go to the flounder." "Oh, wife," said the man, "what will you wish for next? You cannot be pope. There is only one in Christendom. He cannot make you pope." "Husband," she said, "I will be pope. Go immediately.

I must be pope today." "No, wife," said the man, "I don't want to say that to him. It would not do. It's too much. The flounder can't make you pope." "Husband," she said, "what nonsense! If he can make an emperor, he can make a pope. Go to him directly.

I am emperor, and you are nothing but my husband. Will you go at once?"

Then he was afraid and went. But he was faint, shivering and shaking, his knees and legs trembling. A high wind blew over the land, clouds flew, and toward evening it grew dark. Leaves fell from the trees, the water rose and roared as if boiling, splashing on the shore. In the distance he saw ships firing guns in distress, pitching and tossing on the waves. Yet in the middle of the sky there was still a small patch of blue, though on every side it was as red as in a heavy storm. Full of despair, he stood in great fear and said:

"Flounder, flounder in the sea, Come, I pray you, here to me; For my wife, good Ilsabil, Wills not as I'd have her will."

"Well, what does she want?" said the flounder. "Oh," said the man, "she wants to be pope." "Go to her then," said the flounder; "she is pope already."

So he went. When he got there, he saw what seemed to be a large church surrounded by palaces. He pushed through the crowd. Inside, everything was lit up with thousands and thousands of candles. His wife was dressed in gold, sitting on a much higher throne, with three large golden crowns.

Around her was much ecclesiastical splendor. On both sides was a row of candles, the largest as tall as the tallest tower, down to the smallest kitchen candle. All the emperors and kings knelt before her, kissing her shoe.

"Wife," said the man, looking at her carefully, "are you now pope?" "Yes," she said, "I am pope." He stood and looked at her as if looking at the bright sun. After a short while, he said, "Oh, wife, if you are pope, let that be enough!" But she stood stiff as a post, not moving or showing any sign of life.

Then he said, "Wife, now that you are pope, be satisfied. You cannot become anything greater." "I'll think about that," said the woman. Then they both went to bed, but she was not satisfied. Greed kept her awake, always thinking what more she could become.

The man slept well, for he had run about a lot during the day. But the woman could not sleep at all; she tossed and turned all night, thinking what more was left for her to be, but she couldn't think of anything. At last the sun began to rise.

When the woman saw the red of dawn, she sat up in bed and looked at it. Looking through the window at the rising sun, she said, "Can't I also order the sun and moon to rise?" "Husband," she said, poking him in the ribs with her elbow, "wake up!

Go to the flounder, for I wish to be like God." The man was still half asleep, but he was so horrified that he fell out of bed. He thought he must have heard wrong, rubbed his eyes, and said, "Oh, wife, what are you saying?" "Husband," she said, "if I cannot order the sun and moon to rise, and have to watch them rise without me, I cannot bear it.

I will not have another happy hour unless I can make them rise myself." Then she looked at him so terribly that a shudder ran through him, and she said, "Go at once. I wish to be like God." "Oh, wife," said the man, falling on his knees before her, "the flounder cannot do that.

He can make an emperor and a pope. I beg you, stay as you are and be pope." Then she flew into a rage, her hair flying wildly about her head, and she cried, "I will not endure this! I will not bear it any longer!

Will you go?" Then he put on his trousers and ran away like a madman. Outside, a great storm was raging, blowing so hard he could barely keep his feet. Houses and trees toppled over, mountains trembled, rocks rolled into the sea. The sky was pitch black, with thunder and lightning.

The sea came in with black waves as high as church towers and mountains, all with crests of white foam. He cried out, but could not hear his own words:

"Flounder, flounder in the sea, Come, I pray you, here to me; For my wife, good Ilsabil, Wills not as I'd have her will."

"Well, what does she want?" said the flounder. "Oh," he said, "she wants to be like God." "Go to her, and you will find her back in the dirty hut." And there they are living still to this very day.