A fisherman and his wife lived in a gross house by the sea.
One day the fisherman went out and caught a flounder. The fish said he was an enchanted
prince so the man let him go. When he told his wife, she made him go and find
the fish again so he could wish for a better house. So, he went back and found
the fish and wished for a little cottage, and his wish was granted. They lived
in this cottage for many months, when one day the wife told her husband to go
back to this fish and wish for a castle. The fisherman was quite content with
his house, but his wife insisted that he go. So, out the fisherman went.
So, the man went to the sea and called upon the flounder
again. The fish came and when the fisherman told him what his wife wanted, the
fish granted his wish. He went back home to find a castle standing there. The
wife was so happy. The castle had many nice things inside and many servants as
well. The next day the wife decided that her husband should be the king. When
he refused, she made him go ask the fish to make her the king of the land. So out
the man went reluctantly, and asked the fish to make his wife the king. The
fish granted his wish and the fisherman went back home.
When he got back home, he saw his wife sitting on the
throne. She wasn’t happy though. She wanted to be the emperor. The fisherman
didn’t think that the fish could do it, for there was only one emperor.
However, he had to go and ask the flounder. So off to the sea he went. He didn’t
think it was right, but he asked anyways, and the fish granted his wish. When
he came back he found out his wife was the emperor, but again she wasn’t happy.
She now wanted to be the pope. The fisherman now really didn’t want to do it,
but his wife threatened him. So back to the fish he went, and again his wish
was granted.
When the fisherman went back home, he saw a great church
where is little hovel once stood. He went up to his wife and asked her what she
wanted to be now. She couldn’t think of a response, but she knew she wouldn’t
be content until she came up with something else to wish to be. By morning she
decided that she wanted power over the sun and the moon, so the husband went
out to find the fish. He granted her final wish, and in the end, she ended up
becoming a part of a cuckoo clock.
A rich man had a sick wife. As she lay dying she told her
daughter to always be kind to others. After the mother died the father
remarried, and she brought along two very mean spirited daughters. They forced
her to work for her food, and they made her dress like a kitchen-maid. One day
her father went to a fair and asked what his daughters would like him to bring
them. All his daughter wanted was the first twig that touched his hat on his
way home. She planted that twig at her mother’s grave and I quickly sprouted a
fine tree, and whenever she wept and wished, her wish came true. The king of
the land invited all the young maidens to attend so his son could pick a wife.
The girl’s stepmom would not let her attend because she was all filthy. The
stepmother said that only if she could pick out all the lentils from the ashes
in the fireplace in two hour, then she could go to the festival. The girl went
out and cried and wished at her tree for help, and two birds came to her rescue.
After she was done, her stepmom made her do it two more times. Even after that
she still wouldn’t let her go. She went to her tree and wished for a dress to
wear. When she got to the festival her stepmother and stepsisters didn’t recognize
her. The prince wanted to marry her. The girl kept getting away from the prince
and wouldn’t let him know her true identity. The prince got her shoe and
decided to try it on all the maidens. When the girl’s oldest stepsister tried
on the shoe it didn’t fit. So, she cut off her toe and shoved it on. It almost
worked, but the prince saw the blood. Then the next stepsister tried and had to
cut off her heel. Again, it almost worked, but he saw the blood. Finely the
girl was able to try on the shoe and it fit. The prince found his maiden.
Bibliography:
Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm, translated by Lucy Crane and illustrated by Walter Crane (1886).
No comments:
Post a Comment