Story Elements

In the middle of the sea lived a fisherman and his wife. They were so poor they often went without bread when the fishing did not go well.

One day the man caught a small golden fish who begged to be let go. Because the man did let him go, the little fish promised that he would come back if the fisherman ever needed help. The man said that he and his wife had no food, and when the man returned home there was a nice meal on the table. But the fisherman’s wife was greedy. After she ate the nice meal, she went to bed planning what they should demand from the golden fish next.

She woke up early the next morning and shook her husband awake. “Wake up! Go and tell your fish that I need a new washtub!”

So he went and called to the golden fish again, and when he returned home there was a beautiful new washtub in the yard.

Each day the fisherman’s wife had a new demand. And each one was granted. The fisherman’s wife got a big new house, beautiful new clothes, servants to do her work, and a horse-drawn carriage to ride in.

But the fisherman did not enjoy the new things, and he was ashamed of his greedy wife. She was rude to the servants, and she was too busy thinking up new demands to speak to her husband. Once again, she demanded that he call the golden fish. She wanted to be Queen of the Waters.

“Make your wife Queen of the Waters?” exclaimed the golden fish. "That is the last thing I should do. She is unfit to rule. She cannot even rule herself. I shall make her a poor woman again. Goodbye! You will see me no more.”

With great sadness, the fisherman went home to tell his wife the news. To his surprise, the big house had been transformed into their little old cabin, and his wife was clothed in rags. Life was much easier for the fisherman after that. His wife had learned the results of greed. She planted a little garden, to provide food when the fishing did not go well.

He had a moment’s hope of seeing his little friend again.