The Fisherman and His Wife

Description

The Fisherman and His Wife
by The Brothers Grimm
Adapted By Heather Neumann
This is a downloadable ebook/pdf

A poor fisherman lives with his wife in a humble shack by the sea. One day, the fisherman catches a strange flounder that speaks and reveals it is actually a prince. Moved by compassion, the fisherman releases the fish without asking for anything in return.

When he tells his wife what happened, she is furious that he did not wish for something. She sends him back to the sea to ask the fish for a small improvement in their life. Reluctantly, the fisherman does so, and the fish grants the wish. The couple’s circumstances improve—but the wife is never satisfied.

Each time, the wife demands more: a better house, wealth, power, and eventually supreme authority over others. With every wish, the sea grows darker and more turbulent, reflecting the growing imbalance caused by her greed. Though uneasy, the fisherman continues to ask the fish to fulfill her escalating demands.

At last, the wife wishes to become as powerful as God himself. This final act of overreaching pride breaks the enchantment. The fish revokes all the gifts, and the fisherman and his wife are returned to their original state—poor and living once again in their simple shack by the sea.