The Fisherman and His Wife (Condensed Version)

The Fisherman and His Wife

Once upon a time, there lived a poor fisherman and his wife in a small, run-down hut near the sea. One day, the fisherman caught a fish that was actually an enchanted prince. The fish pleaded for his life, promising to grant any wish in return.

The humble fisherman did not want anything and let the fish go. But when he told his wife about the magical fish, she grew furious and demanded he ask the fish for a nice house.

The fisherman reluctantly went back to the sea and called the fish. The fish complied, turning their hut into a nice house. The wife was initially delighted, but soon her greed grew. She sent her husband back to ask the fish for a castle.

Again, the fish complied. But the wife’s demands did not stop there. She sent the fisherman back to request that she become a king, then an emperor, and then the Pope. The fish fulfilled all her wishes.

Finally, the wife desired to be the Lord of the Universe, ruling over the sun and moon. Her husband, tired and worried, pleaded with the fish. But this time, the fish decided that enough was enough. He took away everything and returned the fisherman and his wife to their old, run-down hut.

From then onwards, the fisherman and his wife lived in their simple hut, leading a content life without any needs or desires. They learned that excessive greed leads to nothing but downfall and that it’s important to be happy with what one has.

The End.