Reading Notes Part A: The Fisherman and His Wife
Once upon a time, a fisherman and his wife lived in a hovel by the sea-shore. The fisherman fished everyday, he angled and angled.
One day, he sat with his rod and looked in the clear water. He sat and sat.
At last, a great flounder was attached to on the hook. The flounder said to the fisherman "please let me go, I am not a real fish, I am an enchanted prince. I shall not taste well and be good on land for you, sir. Put me back in the water and let me swim."
"No need for many words," said the fisherman. He let the fish swim away.
The flounder sank to the bottom, and left a long streak of blood behind him. The fisherman got up and went him to his wife.
"Did you catch anything today?" asked the wife.
"I caught a flounder, but he was an enchanted price, so I had to let him go," said the fisherman.
"Did you wish for anything?" asked the wife.
"No, why would I wish for anything?" asked the fisherman.
"Oh my!" said the wife. "It is so dreadful living in this evil-hovel, you should have wished to live in a cottage. Go back out, catch him again, and make a wish!" insisted the wife.
And back he went, the sea was green and yellow. He stood and said;
O man, O man! — if man you be,
Or flounder, flounder, in the sea —
Such a tiresome wife I've got,
For she wants what I do not."
"Now then what do you want?" said the flounder.
"Well, I told my wife I caught you and she said for me to make a wish. She does not want to live in a hovel, she wants to live in a cottage." said the fisherman.
"Go home, she already has it," said the flounder.
The fisherman went home, and instead of a hovel, he found his wife sitting on a bench before the door, in front of a cottage. She took his hand and said, "come in and see the improvement."
They went inside, everything was beautiful. The food, furniture, architecture, everything. There was a garden full of fruit and vegetables.
"Is not that nice?" said the wife.
"Only hope this can last." said the fisherman.
"We will see," said the wife.
After their meal, they went to bed. "Look, I think this house and garden are too confined, the flounder must get us a bigger house," said the wife.
"Go ask for a castle," she said.
"Oh dear, that is a lot to ask for, the cottage is not good enough?" asked the fisherman.
"We want a castle, no go on!" said the wife.
"I do not want to make the flounder angry, he already gave us a cottage!" said the fisherman.
"Go along, do as I say!" said the wife.
"It is not the right thing to do!" said the fisherman. And on he went...
Bibliography: The Fisherman and his Wife
This story is part of the Brothers Grimm (Crane) unit. Story source: Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm, translated by Lucy Crane and illustrated by Walter Crane (1886).
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