登陆注册
5435500000210

第210章

And he fished, and he fished. And once he was sitting with his rod, looking at the clear water, and he sat and he sat. Then his line suddenly went down, far down below, and when he drew it up again, he brought out a large flounder. Then the flounder said to him, hark, you fisherman, I pray you, let me live, I am no flounder really, but an enchanted prince. What good will it do you to kill me. I should not be good to eat, put me in the water again, and let me go. Come, said the fisherman, there is no need for so many words about it - a fish that can talk I should certainly let go, anyhow. And with that he put him back again into the clear water, and the flounder went to the bottom, leaving a long streak of blood behind him. Then the fisherman got up and went home to his wife in the pig-stye.

Husband, said the woman, have you caught nothing to-day. No, said the man, I did catch a flounder, who said he was an enchanted prince, so I let him go again. Did you not wish for anything first, said the woman. No, said the man, what should I wish for. Ah, said the woman, it is surely hard to have to live always in this pig-stye which stinks and is so disgusting. You might have wished for a little hut for us. Go back and call him. Tell him we want to have a little hut, he will certainly give us that. Ah, said the man, why should I go there again.

Why, said the woman, you did catch him, and you let him go again.

He is sure to do it. Go at once. The man still did not quite like to go, but did not like to oppose his wife either, and went to the sea.

When he got there the sea was all green and yellow, and no longer so smooth, so he stood still and said, flounder, flounder in the sea, come, I pray thee, here to me.

For my wife, good ilsabil, wills not as I'd have her will.

Then the flounder came swimming to him and said, well what does she want, then. Ah, said the man, I did catch you, and my wife says I really ought to have wished for something.

She does not like to live in a pig-stye any longer. She would like to have a hut. Go, then, said the flounder, she has it already.

When the man went home, his wife was no longer in the stye, but instead of it there stood a hut, and she was sitting on a bench before the door. Then she took him by the hand and said to him, just come inside. Look, now isn't this a great deal better. So they went in, and there was a small porch, and a pretty little parlor and bedroom, and a kitchen and pantry, with the best of furniture, and fitted up with the most beautiful things made of tin and brass, whatsoever was wanted.

And behind the hut there was a small yard, with hens and ducks, and a little garden with flowers and fruit. Look, said the wife, is not that nice. Yes, said the husband, and so it shall remain - now we will live quite contented. We will think about that said the wife. With that they ate something and went to bed.

Everything went well for a week or a fortnight, and then the woman said, hark you, husband, this hut is far too small for us, and the garden and yard are little. The flounder might just as well have given us a larger house. I should like to live in a great stone castle. Go to the flounder, and tell him to give us a castle. Ah, wife, said the man, the hut is quite good enough. Why whould we live in a castle. What. Said the woman. Just go there, the flounder can always do that. No, wife, said the man, the flounder has just given us the hut, I do not like to go back so soon, it might make him angry.

Go, said the woman, he can do it quite easily, and will be glad to do it. Just you go to him.

The man's heart grew heavy, and he would not go. He said to himself, it is not right, and yet he went. And when he came to the sea the water was quite purple and dark-blue, and grey and thick, and no longer so green and yellow, but it was still quiet. And he stood there and said, flounder, flounder in the sea, come, I pray thee, here to me.

For my wife, good ilsabil, wills not as I'd have her will.

Well, what does she want, now, said the flounder. Alas, said the man, half scared, she wants to live in a great stone castle.

Go to it, then, she is standing before the door, said the flounder.

Then the man went away, intending to go home, but when he got there, he found a great stone palace, and his wife was just standing on the steps going in, and she took him by the hand and said, come in. So he went in with her, and in the castle was a great hall paved with marble, and many servants, who flung wide the doors. And the walls were all bright with beautiful hangings, and in the rooms were chairs and tables of pure gold, and crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and all the rooms and bedrooms had carpets, and food and wine of the very best were standing on all the tables, so that they nearly broke down beneath it. Behind the house, too, there was a great court-yard, with stables for horses and cows, and the very best of carriages. There was a magnificent large garden, too, with the most beautiful flowers and fruit-trees, and a park quite half a mile long, in which were stags, deer, and hares, and everything that could be desired. Come, said the woman, isn't that beautiful. Yes, indeed, said the man, now let it be, and we will live in this beautiful castle and be content. We will consider about that, said the woman, and sleep upon it. Thereupon they went to bed.

Next morning the wife awoke first, and it was just daybreak, and from her bed she saw the beautiful country lying before her. Her husband was still stretching himself, so she poked him in the side with her elbow, and said, get up, husband, and just peep out of the window. Look you, couldn't we be the king over all that land. Go to the flounder, we will be the king. Ah, wife, said the man, why should we be king. Ido not want to be king. Well, said the wife, if you won't be king, I will. Go to the flounder, for I will be king. Ah, wife, said the man, why do you want to be king. I do not like to say that to him. Why not, said the woman. Go to him this instant. I must be king. So the man went, and was quite unhappy because his wife wished to be king. It is not right, it is not right, thought he. He did not wish to go, but yet he went.

同类推荐
  • 春秋公羊传注疏

    春秋公羊传注疏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 自然集

    自然集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 罗氏字辈

    罗氏字辈

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 雕虫诗话

    雕虫诗话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 兰丛诗话

    兰丛诗话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 赵奎家的柴垛

    赵奎家的柴垛

    尹守国,2006年开始小说创作,发表中短篇小说70多万字,作品多次被《新华文摘》、《小说选刊》、《北京文学中篇小说月报》等选载,中国作家协会会员,辽宁省作协签约作家。
  • 孩子注意力不集中,妈妈怎么办?

    孩子注意力不集中,妈妈怎么办?

    对任何人来说,注意力都是一笔宝贵的财富。遗憾的是,今天的很多孩子都有注意力不集中的问题。只有打开孩子的注意力之门,才能真正挖掘出孩子的潜能。本书从注意力是孩子心灵的窗户、孩子注意力不集中的表现与危害、孩子注意力不集中的原因、给孩子创造有利于专注的环境、全面提升孩子的生活品质、利用孩子的兴趣提升注意力、重视调适孩子的不良情绪、教孩子学会自我控制、对孩子进行注意力训练这9个方面,全面阐述了孩子注意力不集中方方面面的问题,并给出了改变这种情形的有效方法,从而帮助妈妈培养出一个做事专注的孩子。
  • 引力主宰

    引力主宰

    林氏家族是凌光大陆的霸主,拥有着不属于元素范畴内的独特能力,引力!因霸主的位置让众多势力围攻,也因独特的能力让黑暗势力勾起贪婪,林氏家族遭到毁灭性的打击。本文讲述林氏家族族长之子林磐隐藏身份进入学院学习,而后闯荡大陆,见识各种忍心算计,也结识众多魔法能力各异的朋友,走上复仇之路,重现林氏家族往日的巅峰。
  • 腾游九天

    腾游九天

    龙腾因家族变故遭人追杀,被一块神秘玉佩所搭救,重生于剑灵大陆,这是死亡的结束,又是生命的开始!他是一个外表随意、什么都不在乎的人;他是一个心思缜密,睚眦必报的人;他也是一个让无数男人嫉妒得人。
  • 剑侠奇中奇全传

    剑侠奇中奇全传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 观心论

    观心论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 品国学,谈生活智谋

    品国学,谈生活智谋

    《品国学,谈生活智谋》对博大精深国学中的各种成功谋略进行了多角度多层次的深入剖析,精选了大量的权威、实用、典型的案例,并结合时代特点阐述其要义,目的就是让广大读者在生活实践中得到启发,力求为读者朋友构建成功人生提供更多的帮助。
  • 惊鸿一瞥心悦你

    惊鸿一瞥心悦你

    [不定期更新]可能一见钟情这个词太敷衍了, 大概日久生情这个词也算不上, 那,命中注定,可能是最合适的吧。
  • 闪灵战尊

    闪灵战尊

    北玄大陆,宗门无数,武者为尊,强者毁天灭地,弱者匍匐如蚁。陆承枫,前世战神,战遍天下,可因暗算就此陨落,重生过后,偶得绝世武灵,百龙皇运,横空出世!化境飞仙,羽化成神,傲世九宵...
  • 佛说十二品生死经

    佛说十二品生死经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。