The Fisherman and his Wife

There was once a fisherman. He lived with his wife in a little, old cottage near a large sea.

Every day the fisherman would walk to the seashore with his net to catch fish. He then sold them at the town market.
 

Cast His Net

One morning, the fisherman went to the shore as usual. He cast his net into the water.

When he pulled the net back, he found a big, golden fish.

“Great! Wonderful!” he thought. “It will fetch a good price at the market.”
 

Startled

Suddenly, the fish began talking to the fisherman.

“Please let me go,” she said. “If you do, I will grant you any wish you want.”

At first the fisherman couldn’t speak or move. But then he just released the fish back into the sea, and left the seashore.
 

Back Home

When he returned home, he told his wife what had happened.

“What!?! You fool! You idiot!” she shouted. “Why didn’t you make a wish?!?”

She then told him to go back and ask the fish for a delicious, hot meal.
 

Return to the Sea

So the fisherman returned to the sea. “Magic Fish! Magic Fish! Magic Fish!” he called out.

The Magic Fish swam to the fisherman.

“Oh Magic Fish, could you give us a delicious, hot meal?” he asked.
“Certainly! It’s done!” replied the fish.
 

A Delicious Hot Meal

Upon returning home, the fisherman found a delicious, hot meal on the table.

“Wow! That’s amazing!” said the fisherman and his wife, and they began to eat.

The meal was delicious indeed — the best they had ever tasted.
 

The Request

The next morning, the wife spoke to her husband.
“Our stove is very old; we need a new one. Go to the Magic Fish and tell her to give us a new stove.”

And so the fisherman went to the seaside and asked the Magic Fish for a new stove.

When he came back and opened the front door of his home, he saw a beautiful, new stove in the kitchen.
 

Three Days Later

Three days later his wife said, “This house is too small. Go to the Magic Fish and tell her I want to live in a castle — and be a queen!”

The fisherman thus returned to the sea and told the Magic Fish what his wife wanted.
 

The Change

He returned . . . and found a huge castle where his little, old house had stood. His wife had become a queen with attendants, servants and knights.

 
“Fisherman,” the Queen ordered her husband a week later. “Go back to the Magic Fish. Tell her that I wish to be the Empress — no, a Goddess — of the whole world, including the sky, all the lands and all the seas!”

And so the fisherman walked to the sea.
 

Rough Waters

“Oh Magic Fish . . . Magic Fish!” he cried out. This time however, the sea turned rough. Dark clouds gathered. After a long time, the Magic Fish appeared.

“Yes?” the fish replied.
“The Queen says she wants to be Empress — I mean a Goddess — of the whole world, including all the lands and all the seas.”

This time, the fish said nothing and simply turned and swam away.

The waves tossed and turned. The winds blew. Lightening flashed in the sky and thunder roared.

The fisherman turn around and ran as fast as he could.

By the time he came home, the storm had abated . . . and the sun was shining once more.

He found his wife back in their little, old house with their old stove.
 
 
 

 

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Fisherman. In the beginning of the story, the fisherman was very successful. He and his wife were very rich. Yes or no? Describe their house. What did the fisherman do every day?

Farmer. What happened one day? Did the fisherman wish for anything?

Shepherd. The fisherman’s wife was not interested in his story. She didn’t care. True or false? How did his wife feel when he told her what had happened?

Merchant, Trader. What did the wife tell the fisherman? What did he do? What happened later?

Stallholder, Storekeeper. Did the wife remain the same throughout the story, or did she change? How did she change?

Blacksmith. The fish felt the same throughout the story. Is this right or wrong? How did the fish feel in the beginning and at the end of the story?

Spinner, Weaver. What happened in the end? In the end . . . .

Tailor. Is the fisherman a domineering or submissive husband? What about his wife?
 
 
 
Mason, Carpenter. Is there a moral or lesson to this story? What is the or moral or lesson of this story?

Carter. What are some examples from real life?

Aristocracy. I like to go the seaside, riverside or lake-shore. Yes or no? Are riversides, lake-shores and seashores popular?

Nobility. Do you have any wishes or dreams? What do your friends wish?

Royalty. How can you make your wishes or dreams come true?