One day the fisherman pulled his net out of the sea. There was only a Goldfish in it. The fish spoke to the fisherman in a human voice: ”Let me go, old fisherman, make a wish and I will make it happen.” The old fisherman had never heard of a talking fish, so he let the Goldfish go, saying: ”Go back to the sea, I don’t need anything”.
He went back home to his wife and told her about the Goldfish. His wife got very angry and said: “Oh, you old fool. You should have asked the fish for a new bowl, ours is broken.”
The fisherman went back to the sea. The sea was all in light ripples. He called the Goldfish. The Goldfish came and asked the fisherman why he called her. The fisherman replied: “My wife is very angry and is asking you for a new bowl, because ours is broken.” “Don’t worry”, – said the Goldfish, – “Your wife will get a new bowl”. And the fisherman went home.
When he came home his wife met him with the new bowl in her hands. She was very angry and said: “Oh, you old fool. Why did you only asked for a new bowl? See, our cottage is falling apart. Go back to the sea and ask the Goldfish for a new cottage”.
The fisherman went back to the sea. The sea turned dark. He called the Goldfish. The Goldfish came and asked the fisherman why he called her. The fisherman replied: “My wife is very angry and is asking you for a new cottage, because ours is falling apart.” “Don’t worry”, – said the Goldfish, – “You will get a new cottage”. And the fisherman went home.
When he came home he could not find his old cottage, instead there was a new big house and his wife was sitting at the window. She was very angry and said: “Oh, you old fool. Why did you only asked for a new house? Go back to the sea and ask the Goldfish for a lot of land. I don’t want to be a fisherman’s wife any more. I want to be a land owner!”
The fisherman went back to the sea. The sea was wild. He called the Goldfish. The Goldfish came and asked the fisherman why he called her. The fisherman replied: ”My wife is very angry and is asking you for a lot of land. She doesn’t want to be a fisherman’s wife any more; she wants to be a land owner.” “Don’t worry”, – said the Goldfish replied, – “Your wife will be a land owner.” And the fisherman went home.
When he came home his wife met him at the gate, she was very angry and said: “Oh, you old fool. Why did you only asked for a lot of land? Go back to the sea and ask the Goldfish to make me a princess”. The fisherman begged her: “You must be mad; you will be the talk of the town!” She slapped him and said: “How can you, fisherman, argue with me, a land owner! If you don’t go, I will get you brought you to the sea!”
The fisherman went back to the sea. The sea turned black. He called the Goldfish. The Goldfish came and asked the fisherman why he called her. The fisherman replied: ”My wife is very angry and is asking you to make her a princess.” “Don’t worry”, – said the Goldfish, – “Your wife will be a princess.” And the fisherman went home.
When he came home he saw a royal palace with the guards at the gates. They let the fisherman in. His wife was standing at the entrance. She had a fur coat, pearls around her neck and red shoes on her feet. The fisherman came up to his wife, fell on his knees and asked her: “My princess, are you happy now?” She did not reply, just ordered him to be taken away.
A week or so passed. The fisherman’s wife ordered her husband to the palace. “Go and ask the fish to make me an ocean-queen and that the fish to serve me!”
The fisherman went back to the sea. The sea was very wild with huge waves. He called the Goldfish. The Goldfish came and asked the fisherman why he called her.
The fisherman replied:” My wife is very angry and is asking you to make her an ocean-queen and you to serve her”. The Goldfish did not say anything, just waved her tail and went back to the sea. The fisherman was waiting and waiting, the sea turned calm, but the Goldfish never came back. The fisherman went home.
When he came home he saw his old little cottage and his wife sitting at the door with a broken bowl in her hands.
