The Golden Fish and the Forgotten Wish
The Golden Fish and the Forgotten Wish
Once upon a time, in a small fishing village by the sea, there lived a kind but poor fisherman named Elias. Every day, he cast his net into the ocean, hoping to catch enough fish to feed his family. But no matter how hard he worked, he remained poor.
One morning, as he pulled in his net, he found a single fish shimmering like sunlight on the water. Its golden scales sparkled, and its eyes were bright with wisdom. As Elias reached to grab it, the fish spoke.
“Please, kind fisherman, let me go! If you spare my life, I will grant you three wishes.”
Elias, astonished, thought for a moment. “I have never believed in magic, but I cannot take the life of a creature that speaks,” he said. And with that, he gently placed the golden fish back into the sea.
The fish flicked its tail and said, “Because of your kindness, I still grant you three wishes. But choose wisely.” With a flash, it disappeared into the waves.
Elias rushed home to tell his wife, Marina. “We could be rich! Or live in a grand palace!” she exclaimed. “What shall we wish for first?”
After some thought, Elias said, “I wish for a warm home with enough food for our family.”
At once, their small hut turned into a cozy cottage filled with fresh bread, steaming soup, and soft beds. They were overjoyed.
Days passed, and Marina grew restless. “Why stop at just a cottage? We should wish for gold and jewels!”
Elias hesitated but agreed. “I wish for endless wealth.”
Suddenly, their home was filled with chests of gold, sparkling jewels, and silken robes. They became the richest family in the village.
But as time went on, greed crept into Marina’s heart. She wanted more—more land, more power, more riches. She nagged Elias, “We have one wish left. Wish for me to become queen!”
Elias felt uneasy. He walked alone to the shore and called out to the golden fish. It appeared, swimming in the moonlit waves.
“What is your final wish, fisherman?”
Elias looked at his reflection in the water. He remembered the joy of simple things: the laughter of his children, the warmth of his old home, and the love that once filled his heart. He sighed and said, “I wish for everything to be as it was before.”
At once, the cottage vanished, the gold disappeared, and Elias found himself back in his humble hut. He returned home, expecting Marina to be furious. But when she saw him, tears filled her eyes. “I was blinded by greed,” she whispered. “We had everything we needed all along.”
And so, Elias and Marina lived the rest of their days with hearts full of gratitude, never longing for more than they truly needed.
As for the golden fish, some say it still swims in the sea, waiting for another kind soul to test the power of true wisdom.
The End…
The Golden Fish and the Forgotten Wish…
