“The Golden Fish” is a traditional Russian folktale that has different versions across cultures. Here’s a brief summary of the story along with its moral:
Once upon a time, an elderly and poor fisherman caught a magical golden fish while fishing. The fish spoke to him, claiming to be an enchanted prince, and begged for its life. In return for releasing it, the fish promised to grant the fisherman three wishes.
The fisherman, initially content with his simple life, released the golden fish without making any wishes. However, when he returned home to his demanding and dissatisfied wife, he mentioned the magical fish and its offer.
His wife, driven by greed and ambition, insisted that the fisherman go back and ask the fish for a new trough for their hovel. The fish granted the wish, and the couple’s living conditions improved slightly. However, the wife’s desires grew, and she demanded increasingly extravagant things.
With each wish granted by the golden fish, the wife’s wishes became more and more grandiose, from a mansion to becoming queen. Eventually, her insatiable greed led to her last wish, in which she wished to be the ruler of the sea and command the golden fish itself.
The moment the wish was made, the magical fish took back all it had granted, returning the couple to their original state of poverty. The fisherman returned to his humble life, realizing the consequences of unchecked greed.
The moral of “The Golden Fish” warns against greed and the never-ending pursuit of material wealth and power. It suggests that contentment with what one has is more fulfilling than endless desires for more. The story serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of unchecked ambition and the importance of appreciating the simple joys in life.
