There was once a fisherman who lived with his wife in a pigsty close by the seaside. The fisherman used to go out all day long a-fishing; one day as he sat on the shore with his rod looking at the sparkling waves watching his line all on a sudden his float was dragged away deep into the water: in drawing it up he pulled out a great fish. But the fish said Pray let me live I am not a real fish; I am an enchanted prince: put me in the water again let me go Oh ho said the man you need not make so many words about the matter; I will have nothing to do with a fish that can talk: so swim away sir as soon as you please Then he put him back into the water the fish darted straight down to the bottom left a long streak of blood behind him on the wave. When the fisherman went home to his wife in the pigsty he told her how he had caught a great fish how it had told him it was an enchanted prince how on hearing it speak he had let it go again. Did not you ask it for anything? said the wife we live very wretchedly here in this nasty dirty pigsty; do go back tell the fish we want a snug little cottage. The fisherman did not much like the business: however he went to the seashore; when he came back there the water looked all yellow green. he stood at the waters edge said: O man of the sea Hearken to me My wife Karen Will have her own will hath sent me to beg a boon of thee Then the fish came swimming to him said Well what is her will? What does your wife want? Ah said the fisherman she says that when I had caught you I ought to have asked you for something before I let you go; she does not like living any longer in the pigsty wants a snug little cottage. Go home then said the fish; she is in the cottage already So the man went home saw his wife sting at the door of a nice trim little cottage. Come in come in said she; is not this much better than the filthy pigsty we had? there was a parlour a bedchamber a kitchen; behind the cottage there was a little garden planted with all sorts of flowers fruits; there was a courtyard behind full of ducks chickens. Ah said the fisherman how happily we shall live now We will try to do so at least said his wife. Everything went right for a week or two then Dame Karen said Husb there is not near room enough for us in this cottage; the courtyard the garden are a great deal too small; I should like to have a large stone castle to live in: go to the fish again tell him to give us a castle. Wife said the fisherman I dont like to go to him again for perhaps he will be angry; we ought to be easy with this pretty cottage to live in. Nonsense said the wife; he will do it very willingly I know; go along try The fisherman went but his heart was very heavy: when he came to the sea it looked blue gloomy though it was very calm; he went close to the edge of the waves said: O man of the sea Hearken to me My wife Karen Will have her own will hath sent me to beg a boon of thee Well what does she want now? said the fish. Ah said the man dolefully my wife wants to live in a stone castle. Go home then said the fish; she is sting at the gate of it already. So away went the fisherman found his wife sting before the gate of a great castle. See said she is not this gr? With that they went into the castle together found a great many servants there the rooms all richly furnished full of golden chairs tables; behind the castle was a garden around it was a park half a mile long full of sheep goats hares deer; in the courtyard were stables cow-houses. Well said the man now we will live cheerful happy in this beautiful castle for the rest of our lives. Perhaps we may said the wife; but let us sleep upon it before we make up our minds to that. So they went to bed. The next morning when Dame Karen awoke it was broad daylight she jogged the fisherman with her elbow said Get up husb bestir yourself for we must be king of all the l. Wife wife said the man why should we wish to be the king? I will not be king. Then I will said she. But wife said the fisherman how can you be king–the fish cannot make you a king? Husb said she say no more about it but go try I will be king. So the man went away quite sorrowful to think that his wife should want to be king. This time the sea looked a dark grey colour was overspread with curling waves the ridges of foam as he cried out: O man of the sea Hearken to me My wife Karen Will have her own will hath sent me to beg a boon of thee Well what would she have now? said the fish. Alas said the poor man my wife wants to be king. Go home said the fish; she is king already. Then the fisherman went home; as he came close to the palace he saw a troop of soldiers heard the sound of drums trumpets. when he went in he saw his wife sitting on a throne of gold diamonds with a golden crown upon her head; on each side of her stood six fair maidens each a head taller than the other. Well wife said the fisherman are you king? Yes said she I am king. when he had looked at her for a long time he said Ah wife what a fine thing it is to be king Now we shall never have anything more to wish for as long as we live. I dont know how that may be said she; never is a long time. I am king it is true; but I begin to be tired of that I think I should like to be emperor. Alas wife why should you wish to be emperor? said the fisherman. Husb said she go to the fish I say I will be emperor. Ah wife replied the fisherman the fish cannot make an emperor I am sure I should not like to ask him for such a thing. I am king said Karen you are my slave; so go at once So the fisherman was forced to go; he muttered as he went along This will come to no good it is too much to ask; the fish will be tired at last then we shall be sorry for what we have done. He soon came to the seashore; the water was quite black muddy a mighty whirlwind blew over the waves rolled them about but he went as near as he could to the waters brink said: O man of the sea Hearken to me My wife Karen Will have her own will hath sent me to beg a boon of thee What would she have now? said the fish. Ah said the fisherman she wants to be emperor. Go home said the fish; she is emperor already. So he went home again; as he came near he saw his wife Karen sitting on a very lofty throne made of solid gold with a great crown on her head full two yards high; on each side of her stood her guards attendants in a row each one smaller than the other from the tallest giant down to a little dwarf no bigger than my finger. before her stood princes dukes earls: the fisherman went up to her said Wife are you emperor? Yes said she I am emperor. Ah said the man as he gazed upon her what a fine thing it is to be emperor Husb said she why should we stop at being emperor? I will be pope next. O wife wife said he how can you be pope? there is but one pope at a time in Christendom. Husb said she I will be pope this very day. But replied the husb the fish cannot make you pope. What nonsense said she; if he can make an emperor he can make a pope: go try him. So the fisherman went. But when he came to the shore the wind was raging the sea was tossed up down in boiling waves the ships were in trouble rolled fearfully upon the tops of the billows. In the middle of the heavens there was a little piece of blue sky but towards the south all was red as if a dreadful storm was rising. At this sight the fisherman was dreadfully frightened he trembled so that his knees knocked together: but still he went down near to the shore said: O man of the sea Hearken to me My wife Karen Will have her own will hath sent me to beg a boon of thee What does she want now? said the fish. Ah said the fisherman my wife wants to be pope. Go home said the fish; she is pope already. Then the fisherman went home found Karen sitting on a throne that was two miles high. she had three great crowns on her head around her stood all the pomp power of the Church. on each side of her were two rows of burning lights of all sizes the greatest as large as the highest biggest tower in the world the least no larger than a small rushlight. Wife said the fisherman as he looked at all this greatness are you pope? Yes said she I am pope. Well wife replied he it is a gr thing to be pope; now you must be easy for you can be nothing greater. I will think about that said the wife. Then they went to bed: but Dame Karen could not sleep all night for thinking what she should be next. At last as she was dropping asleep morning broke the sun rose. Ha thought she as she woke up looked at it through the window after all I cannot prevent the sun rising. At this thought she was very angry wakened her husb said Husb go to the fish tell him I must be lord of the sun moon. The fisherman was half asleep but the thought frightened him so much that he started fell out of bed. Alas wife said he cannot you be easy with being pope? No said she I am very uneasy as long as the sun moon rise without my leave. Go to the fish at once Then the man went shivering with fear; as he was going down to the shore a dreadful storm arose so that the trees the very rocks shook. all the heavens became black with stormy clouds the lightnings played the thunders rolled; you might have seen in the sea great black waves swelling up like mountains with crowns of white foam upon their heads. the fisherman crept towards the sea cried out as well as he could: O man of the sea Hearken to me My wife Karen Will have her own will hath sent me to beg a boon of thee What does she want now? said the fish. Ah said he she wants to be lord of the sun moon. Go home said the fish to your pigsty again. there they live to this very day.