The Fisherman and His Wife
German Fairytale
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Retold by The Legendary Connection
TLC#00166
Once upon a time, a fisherman and his wife lived in a tiny, rundown cottage by the sea. Every day, the fisherman went out to cast his line, hoping to catch something to eat. One day, as he sat quietly by the water, watching his line, he felt a sudden tug. When he reeled it in, he was surprised to find he had caught a large, shimmering flounder. But before he could even think of taking it home, the flounder spoke!
“Listen, dear fisherman,” the flounder said. “I’m not just any fish—I’m actually an enchanted prince. It wouldn’t do you any good to keep me. I’m not meant to be eaten, so please, let me go back into the sea.”
The fisherman was startled but kind-hearted. “A talking fish?” he said, scratching his head. “Well, if you can talk, then it seems right to let you go.” So he gently placed the flounder back into the water, and with a quick splash, it disappeared beneath the waves, leaving a faint trail behind it.
When the fisherman returned home that evening, his wife was waiting by the door. “Did you catch anything today?” she asked. “Only a flounder,” he said. “But it told me it was an enchanted prince, so I let it go.” His wife’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Did you wish for anything first?” she asked eagerly.
“Wish? No, why would I do that?”
“Oh, husband!” she said, disappointed. “We live in this tiny, drafty cottage. You could have at least asked for a cozy little house for us. Go back and ask the flounder for a cottage. Surely it will grant us that.”
The fisherman sighed, not sure about asking the flounder for favors. But he didn’t want to argue with his wife, so he returned to the shore. The sea was now greenish and choppy, not as calm as before. Standing by the water’s edge, he called out:
“Flounder, flounder, in the sea,
Please come here and speak with me!
My wife, kind Ilsa dear,
Has a wish she’d like you to hear.”
The flounder surfaced, gliding through the waves. “What is it that she wants?” it asked. “My wife would like a cozy little cottage,” said the fisherman.“Go home,” the flounder replied gently. “She already has it.”
The fisherman hurried back, and there, instead of their old cottage, stood a charming little house with flowers and a garden in the back. His wife sat happily on the front step, smiling.
“Look at this!” she exclaimed. “Isn’t it lovely?” She led him inside, showing him the cozy rooms, the tidy kitchen, and the furniture, all neat and new. “Now we’ll be comfortable here,” she said. They shared a meal and went to bed, pleased with their new home.
But after a few weeks, his wife began to feel restless again. “Husband,” she said, “this house is too small. We need something bigger. Go to the flounder and ask for a grand castle!” “Oh, wife,” sighed the fisherman, “this cottage is more than enough. Why do we need a castle?”
“Because I want one,” she insisted. “The flounder gave us this cottage; surely he’ll give us a castle, too.”
The fisherman didn’t want to ask, but his wife was determined, so he walked back to the sea. This time, the waves were dark and rolling, and the sky above looked stormy. He called out again:
“Flounder, flounder, in the sea,
Please come here and speak with me!
My wife, good Ilsa dear,
Has a wish she’d like you to hear.”
The flounder surfaced, glistening under the cloudy sky. “What does she want this time?”
“She wishes for a grand castle,” the fisherman said, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Go home,” said the flounder calmly. “She already has it.”
When the fisherman returned, he found his wife standing proudly in front of a grand castle with high stone walls and gleaming towers. Inside, everything was splendid, with rooms filled with fine furniture, golden chandeliers, and rich carpets. Servants bustled about, and in the courtyard, there were beautiful gardens and fountains. His wife was thrilled.
“Look at this!” she cried. “Isn’t it magnificent?” But the fisherman felt uneasy. “Surely, now, this is enough,” he said. “We have all we need.”
“We’ll see,” his wife replied, a little too casually.
It didn’t take long before she grew restless again. Early one morning, she nudged her husband awake. “Husband, I want to be queen.”
The fisherman’s heart sank. “Oh, wife,” he pleaded, “we’re happy here. Why do you want to be queen?”
“Because I do!” she snapped. “Go to the flounder and tell him I must be queen.”
The fisherman walked slowly to the shore, feeling very worried. By now, the sea was dark and churning, the waves crashing wildly. He called out once more:
“Flounder, flounder, in the sea,
Please come here and speak with me!
My wife, good Ilsa dear,
Has a wish she’d like you to hear.”
“What does she want now?” asked the flounder.
“She wants to be queen,” he said, looking down.
“Go to her. She is queen already.”
When the fisherman arrived back at the castle, it had grown larger, with royal banners and guards everywhere. His wife now sat on a golden throne, wearing a jeweled crown. She looked pleased, but the fisherman felt even more uneasy.
“Now that you’re queen, are you happy?” he asked.
She glanced at him and smiled, but it wasn’t long before she grew restless again. Soon, she wanted to be emperor, and then, even pope. Each time, the fisherman returned to the flounder, and each time, the sea grew darker and more turbulent. Finally, one day, his wife woke him in the middle of the night and said, “I want to rule the sun and moon. I want to be as powerful as the heavens.”
The fisherman, filled with dread, begged her to stop. But she insisted, and so he went to the shore one last time. The sea was black and stormy, with waves crashing furiously against the rocks. Lightning split the sky as the fisherman called out:
“Flounder, flounder, in the sea,
Please come here and speak with me!
My wife, good Ilsa dear,
Has a wish she’d like you to hear.”
The flounder appeared, but now its voice was sad. “What does she want now?” it asked.
“She wants to be as powerful as the heavens.”
The flounder sighed deeply. “Go home. You will find her back in the old cottage.”
And so, when the fisherman returned, he found his wife sitting by the door of their small, old cottage, just as they’d been before. From that day on, they learned to live quietly and humbly by the sea, grateful for what they had. And they never saw the magical flounder again.
---. “Household Tales by Brothers Grimm.” Https://Www.gutenberg.org/Files/5314/5314-h/5314-H.htm, 1 Mar. 2004, gutenberg.org/cache/epub/5314/pg5314-images.html#chap19. Accessed 26 July 2024.
