The Clever Fisherman
Once upon a time, long, long ago, there lived a fisherman in a village. He went fishing at the river every day. Daily, he would tie his boat to a stone near the bank.
And today, he did the same when he went to the water to catch fish.
— The weather is so good today. It would be great to catch many fish. I could sell them at the market and earn a good sum.
From a distance, he cast his net into the water, trying to catch fish. But today, besides fish, he also found a bottle.
— Wait! This bottle looks strange. Let me open it and see what's inside.
The fisherman took the bottle out of the net and opened it. Suddenly, a devil emerged from it.
— Ha ha ha! Finally, I'm out of that little thing. Now I will spread fear across this land again.
— Oh dear! Who are you and how did you get into this bottle?
— You fool! I used to rule this land. The river was known as the Ghost River. No one came near this place because of me. Every living creature is worthy of me.
— But then, one day, a monk came and used his magic to trap me in this bottle. I stayed in the bottle for years. But now I am free, and you will be my first prey.
— But why me? I freed you, didn't I?
— But you are the only one who knows the secret of this bottle. I will destroy you and thus bury my secret forever.
The fisherman feared for his life. He began to think about how to save himself. Finally, he came up with a plan.
— You can destroy me, but I have one last wish. Can you grant it?
— Fine. Tell me. What is your wish?
— I was thinking that you are too huge for this little bottle.
— I don't understand. Are you actually lying? Can you show me?
— Ha ha ha! Do you think I would lie about this? I'll show you right away.
In his arrogance, the devil didn't think at all about the mistake he was about to make. To prove it to the fisherman, he became smaller through magic and entered the bottle. As soon as the devil was inside, the fisherman immediately corked the bottle.
— Now laugh all you want. You wanted to destroy me? I've sent you where you belong.
The fisherman threw the bottle deep into the water again and returned to the bank. He gathered all his fish and happily went home. And just like that, the clever fisherman saved the entire village from the devil.
— Children, did you see how the fisherman used his intelligence to defeat the devil?
— Yes, we did! That was a great story! The devil got what he deserved!
— Yes, it was a great story!
So, we learned that we should never be afraid of a problem. We stay calm and think of a solution, and thus, victory will always be ours.
The Fisherman and His Wife
The fisherman and his wife lived on a rock near the sea. Every day, the fisherman went to the rock and caught fish. He lived happily and led a humble life, but he knew well that his wife was not. She was always upset.
— Look at this dirty hut! I'm sick of the smell! I clean it night and day, it just doesn't work!
The fisherman loved his wife, but she always complained. On good days, when he caught two fish, his wife demanded three. If he brought her mangoes, she asked for peaches. He couldn't do anything to make her happy.
— Oh, my dear, how can I make you happy?
— Get me out of this dirty hut. Then I will be happy.
One fine day, the fisherman went to catch fish near the rock. The water was calm and blue. He sat there with his fishing hook cast deep into the sea. Several hours passed, and he grew tired.
— I guess we'll have to live on fruit today. Oh, wait! I feel something!
The husband held the fishing rod tightly and began to pull.
— Oh, it's heavy! It must be a big one!
As the hook came out, he was surprised to see a flounder. It was colorful and shiny.
— Oh, a flounder! How is it so heavy? Maybe it ate too much!
— No, fisherman, that's not why I weigh more than other fish.
— What? Did you just talk to me? What happened? How do you know my name?
— I know more about you. I am not an ordinary fish. I am an enchanted prince. Let me go. I won't taste good anyway. Please, don't kill me!
— Oh, say no more! I certainly won't kill a talking fish. Go!
— Ah, thank you!
The husband was thrilled to tell his wife about the flounder. He rushed home and forgot that he had no fish to give his wife today.
— My dear, I have something to tell you! Come quickly!
— What? No fish today?
— Oh, no! I caught a flounder, but it talked! It told me it was an enchanted prince.
— What? What happened then?
— Then I let it go. It's in the sea now.
— You caught an enchanted fish and just let it go like that? Why would you do that? We are poor and hungry. We live in this dirty hut. You could have at least asked for a better house!
— How can it give me a house? It can't do that! We must be content with what we have.
— I will be happy to live in a cottage. Didn't you say it's an enchanted prince? You spared its life. It can at least do that for you. Go back and ask for a cottage!
The husband was unsure, but he returned to the sea. To his surprise, the water had become a little green and yellow.
— Magic fish! Do you hear me?
The flounder surfaced in no time, as if it had been waiting for the husband to return.
— My wife is not happy. What does she want?
— She wants a cottage.
— Go back! She already has it.
The husband returned and saw that his wife was standing at the wooden door of a beautiful cottage. The cottage was well-maintained and clean. It also had furniture and a fireplace.
— My dear, look! This house is much bigger and cleaner!
— Yes. We also have a fireplace. It's nice, isn't it? Are you happy now? We can live here forever!
— Forever? Hmm, we'll see. Let's eat and go to bed.
That night, the wife didn't sleep well. She kept thinking about what could make her happy. In the morning, she was already waiting for her husband at the table.
— Good morning, husband! Listen, this house is small for us. I want a palace and I want to be queen. Go to the flounder and ask it to give us a palace.
— What? Why do you want to become queen? This is enough for us.
— Let me decide that. Go to the flounder and make me queen!
The husband went with slight hesitation towards the sea. The water was purple today and the winds were swirling.
— Magic fish! Do you hear me?
— My wife is not happy. What does she want?
— She wants a palace and she wants to become queen.
— Go back! She already has that.
When the husband returned, the cottage had disappeared. Instead, there was a tall palace with large brass doors. There were many servants rushing everywhere. He saw his wife sitting on a throne. She had a crown on her head.
— You are a queen now!
— Yes, I am queen.
— It's beautiful, isn't it? Are you happy now?
— Um, no. Being queen is not enough. I want to become empress.
— Eh, what? I know what you're thinking. The flounder cannot make you empress. That's impossible!
— You don't know that. Go to that fish and make me empress!
The fisherman went with slight hesitation towards the sea. He looked at the brownish water and wondered what could have caused it.
— Magic fish! Do you hear me?
— My wife is not happy. What does she want?
— She wants to become empress.
— Go back! She already has that.
The fisherman returned home, wondering if his wife was happy now. When he reached the palace, instead of brass doors, there were now golden doors. The house had become even bigger. Inside, his wife sat on a golden throne. All the ministers and kings were beneath her throne. She held a golden orb in one hand and a scepter in the other.
— My dear, you truly are empress now!
— Yes, I am! Didn't I tell you the fish can grant anything?
— Yes, you did. Are you happy?
— Oh, I don't know that. We'll see. I've had a long day. We need to sleep.
The fisherman was afraid his wife would make another demand. But he was tired from running all day. He fell into a deep sleep the moment he lay down. But his wife couldn't sleep. She stayed awake thinking about what could make her happy. A week passed. Every night, the fisherman prayed to make his wife happy. But every night, the wife sat on the bed, looking at the moon and stars. Finally, one night, she grew tired of thinking and wanted to rest.
— But... What? Is it morning already? How dare the sun rise now? Doesn't it know I haven't slept for a week? Husband, wake up! I want to control the sun and the moon. I don't want them to move without my permission. I want to become the almighty, the unknown!
— What? Please, stop! I cannot go back and risk our lives.
— You won't risk our lives! I will own both our lives. Nothing will ever touch us. Go to the fish and make me the almighty!
— No, my dear! You don't know what you're asking for!
— I can't take it anymore! If you don't leave now, I will be angry. Very angry!
The fisherman wanted to see his wife happy, but he knew it was wrong. Outside, clouds surrounded the sea and the wind howled.
— Oh, when will this end? This is very wrong! The water is so black today. I am very scared. Eh, magic fish! Do you hear me?
— Fish, my wife is still not happy. What does she want?
— Eh, she wants to become the almighty, the unknown.
— Hmm, go back. She already has that.
The fisherman ran back at full speed.
— Oh, I don't know what happened to my wife now. I must go there. Oh, no! What?
The fisherman realized his wife had disappeared. She was nowhere to be found. He kept searching and searching, he ran back towards the sea. The water was now calm and clear. The clouds scattered and the sun shone brightly.
— Magic fish! Oh, magic fish! Do you hear me? Please, come back! What did you do to my wife?
— I granted her wish. She wanted to be the almighty, the unknown. That is what she is. No one has seen the almighty. Now she is the unknown to all.
— No! Please! Give her back to me!
— I cannot undo a wish, fisherman.
— Wait! I know! Until now I have only asked for my wife. You granted all her wishes, but I am the one who saved your life. Grant my wish.
— Hmm, you are right. What do you wish?
The fisherman took a deep breath.
— I want my wife to be happy.
— Go back, my friend. She already has everything she needs to be happy.
The husband hurried back home. He was surprised. He saw his wife standing at the door of his small hut. But it no longer smelled bad. He ran towards his wife.
— Oh, you're back! You're back!
— Yes, my dear. I realized that palaces and thrones cannot buy happiness. Let's go home now.
From that day on, the fisherman and his wife always had enough to eat. The wife realized that happiness lies in the simplest things, and they lived happily ever after.
