Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
Once upon a time there were a fisherman and his wife who lived together in a filthy shack near the sea. Every day the fisherman went out fishing, and he fished, and he fished. Once he was sitting there fishing and looking into the clear water, and he sat, and he sat. Then his hook went to the bottom, deep down, and when he pulled it out, he had caught a large flounder.
Then the flounder said to him, "Listen, fisherman, I beg you to let me live. I am not an ordinary flounder, but an enchanted prince. How will it help you to kill me? I would not taste good to you. Put me back into the water, and let me swim."
"Well," said the man, "there's no need to say more. I can certainly let a fish swim away who knows how to talk."
With that he put it back into the clear water, and the flounder disappeared to the bottom, leaving a long trail of blood behind him.
Then the fisherman got up and went home to his wife in the filthy shack.
"Husband," said the woman, "didn't you catch anything today?"
"No," said the man. "I caught a flounder, but he told me that he was an enchanted prince, so I let him swim away."
"Didn't you ask for anything first?" said the woman.
"No," said the man. "What should I have asked for?"
"Oh," said the woman. "It is terrible living in this shack. It stinks and is filthy. You should have asked for a little cottage for us. Go back and call him. Tell him that we want to have a little cottage. He will surely give it to us."
"Oh," said the man. "Why should I go back there?"
"Look," said the woman, "you did catch him, and then you let him swim away. He will surely do this for us. Go right now."
The man did not want to go, but neither did he want to oppose his wife, so he went back to the sea.
When he arrived there it was no longer clear, but yellow and green. He stood there and said:
Mandje! Mandje! Timpe Te! Flounder, flounder, in the sea! My wife, my wife Ilsebill, Wants not, wants not, what I will
The flounder swam up and said, "What does she want then?"
"Oh," said the man, "I did catch you, and now my wife says that I really should have asked for something. She doesn't want to live in a filthy shack any longer. She would like to have a cottage."
"Go home," said the flounder. "She already has it."
The man went home, and his wife was standing in the door of a cottage, and she said to him, "Come in. See, now isn't this much better?"
There was a little front yard, and a beautiful little parlor, and a bedroom where their bed was standing, and a kitchen, and a dining room. Everything was beautifully furnished and supplied with tin and brass utensils, just as it should be. And outside there was a little yard with chickens and ducks and a garden with vegetables and fruit.
"Look," said the woman. "Isn't this nice?"
"Yes," said the man. "This is quite enough. We can live here very well."
"We will think about that," said the woman.
Then they ate something and went to bed.
Everything went well for a week or two, and then the woman said, "Listen, husband. This cottage is too small. The yard and the garden are too little. The flounder could have given us a larger house. I would like to live in a large stone palace. Go back to the flounder and tell him to give us a palace."
"Oh, wife," said the man, "the cottage is good enough. Why would we want to live in a palace?"
"I know why," said the woman. "Now you just go. The flounder can do that."
"Now, wife, the flounder has just given us the cottage. I don't want to go back so soon. It may make the flounder angry."
"Just go," said the woman. "He can do it, and he won't mind doing it. Just go."
The man's heart was heavy, and he did not want to go. He said to himself, "This is not right," but he went anyway.
When he arrived at the sea the water was purple and dark blue and gray and dense, and no longer green and yellow. He stood there and said:
Mandje! Mandje! Timpe Te! Flounder, flounder, in the sea! My wife, my wife Ilsebill, Wants not, wants not, what I will
"What does she want then?" said the flounder.
"Oh," said the man sadly, "my wife wants to live in a stone palace."
"Go home. She's already standing before the door," said the flounder.
Then the man went his way, thinking he was going home, but when he arrived, standing there was a large stone palace. His wife was standing on the stairway, about to enter.
Taking him by the hand, she said, "Come inside."
He went inside with her. Inside the palace there was a large front hallway with a marble floor. Numerous servants opened up the large doors for them. The walls were all white and covered with beautiful tapestry. In the rooms there were chairs and tables of pure gold. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceilings. The rooms and chambers all had carpets. Food and the very best wine overloaded the tables until they almost collapsed. Outside the house there was a large courtyard with the very best carriages and stalls for horses and cows. Furthermore there was a magnificent garden with the most beautiful flowers and fine fruit trees and a pleasure forest a good half mile long, with elk and deer and hares and everything that anyone could possibly want.
"Now," said the woman, "isn't this nice?"
"Oh, yes" said the man. "This is quite enough. We can live in this beautiful palace and be satisfied."
"We'll think about it," said the woman. "Let's sleep on it." And with that they went to bed.
The next morning the woman woke up first. It was just daylight, and from her bed she could see the magnificent landscape before her. Her husband was just starting to stir when she poked him in the side with her elbow and said, "Husband, get up and look out the window. Look, couldn't we be king over all this land?"
"Oh, wife," said the man, "why would we want to be king? I don't want to be king."
"Well," said the woman, "even if you don't want to be king, I want to be king."
"Oh, wife," said the man, "why do you want to be king? I don't want to tell him that."
"Why not?" said the woman, "Go there immediately. I must be king."
So the man, saddened because his wife wanted to be king, went back.
"This is not right, not right at all," thought the man. He did not want to go, but he went anyway.
When he arrived at the sea it was dark gray, and the water heaved up from below and had a foul smell. He stood there and said:
Mandje! Mandje! Timpe Te! Flounder, flounder, in the sea! My wife, my wife Ilsebill, Wants not, wants not, what I will
"What does she want then," said the flounder.
"Oh," said the man, "she wants to be king."
"Go home. She is already king," said the flounder.
Then the man went home, and when he arrived there, the palace had become much larger, with a tall tower and magnificent decorations. Sentries stood outside the door, and there were so many soldiers, and drums, and trumpets. When he went inside everything was of pure marble and gold with velvet covers and large golden tassels. Then the doors to the great hall opened up, and there was the entire court. His wife was sitting on a high throne of gold and diamonds. She was wearing a large golden crown, and in her hand was a scepter of pure gold and precious stones. On either side of her there stood a line of maids-in-waiting, each one a head shorter than the other.
"Oh, wife, are you now king?"
"Yes," she said, "now I am king."
He stood and looked at her, and after thus looking at her for a while he said, "Wife, it is very nice that you are king. Now we don't have to wish for anything else."
"No, husband," she said, becoming restless. "Time is on my hands. I cannot stand it any longer. Go to the flounder. I am king, but now I must become emperor."
"Oh, wife" said the man, "Why do you want to become emperor?"
"Husband," she said, "go to the flounder. I want to be emperor."
"Oh, wife," said the man, "he cannot make you emperor. I cannot tell the flounder to do that. There is only one emperor in the realm. The flounder cannot make you emperor. He cannot do that."
"What!" said the woman. "I am king, and you are my husband. Are you going? Go there immediately. If he can make me king then he can make me emperor. I want to be and have to be emperor. Go there immediately."
So he had to go. As he went on his way the frightened man thought to himself, "This is not going to end well. To ask to be emperor is shameful. The flounder is going to get tired of this."
With that he arrived at the sea. The water was all black and dense and boiling up from within. A strong wind blew over him that curdled the water. He stood there and said:
Mandje! Mandje! Timpe Te! Flounder, flounder, in the sea! My wife, my wife Ilsebill, Wants not, wants not, what I will
"What does she want then?" said the flounder.
"Oh, flounder," he said, "my wife wants to become emperor."
"Go home," said the flounder. "She is already emperor."
Then the man went home, and when he arrived there, the entire palace was made of polished marble with alabaster statues and golden decoration. Soldiers were marching outside the gate, blowing trumpets and beating tympani and drums. Inside the house, barons and counts and dukes were walking around like servants. They opened the doors for him, which were made of pure gold. He went inside where his wife was sitting on a throne made of one piece of gold a good two miles high, and she was wearing a large golden crown that was three yards high, all set with diamonds and carbuncles. In the one hand she had a scepter, and in the other the imperial orb. Bodyguards were standing in two rows at her sides: each one smaller than the other, beginning with the largest giant and ending with the littlest dwarf, who was no larger than my little finger. Many princes and dukes were standing in front of her.
The man went and stood among them and said, "Wife, are you emperor now?"
"Yes," she said, "I am emperor."
He stood and looked at her, and after thus looking at her for a while, he said, "Wife, it is very nice that you are emperor."
"Husband," she said. "Why are you standing there? Now that I am emperor, and I want to become pope."
"Oh, wife!" said the man. "What do you not want? There is only one pope in all Christendom. He cannot make you pope."
"Husband," she said, "I want to become pope. Go there immediately. I must become pope this very day."
"No, wife," he said, "I cannot tell him that. It will come to no good. That is too much. The flounder cannot make you pope."
"Husband, what nonsense!" said the woman. "If he can make me emperor, then he can make me pope as well. Go there immediately. I am emperor, and you are my husband. Are you going?"
Then the frightened man went. He felt sick all over, and his knees and legs were shaking, and the wind was blowing over the land, and clouds flew by as the darkness of evening fell. Leaves blew from the trees, and the water roared and boiled as it crashed onto the shore. In the distance he could see ships, shooting distress signals as they tossed and turned on the waves. There was a little blue in the middle of the sky, but on all sides it had turned red, as in a terrible lightning storm. Full of despair he stood there and said:
Mandje! Mandje! Timpe Te! Flounder, flounder, in the sea! My wife, my wife Ilsebill, Wants not, wants not, what I will
"What does she want then?" said the flounder.
"Oh," said the man, "she wants to become pope."
"Go home," said the flounder. "She is already pope."
Then he went home, and when he arrived there, there was a large church surrounded by nothing but palaces. He forced his way through the crowd. Inside everything was illuminated with thousands and thousands of lights, and his wife was clothed in pure gold and sitting on a much higher throne. She was wearing three large golden crowns. She was surrounded with church-like splendor, and at her sides there were two banks of candles. The largest was as thick and as tall as the largest tower, down to the smallest kitchen candle. And all the emperors and kings were kneeling before her kissing her slipper.
"Wife," said the man, giving her a good look, "are you pope now?"
"Yes," she said, "I am pope."
Then he stood there looking at her, and it was as if he were looking into the bright sun. After he had looked at her for a while he said, "Wife, It is good that you are pope!"
She stood there as stiff as a tree, neither stirring nor moving.
Then he said, "Wife, be satisfied now that you are pope. There is nothing else that you can become."
"I have to think about that," said the woman.
Then they both went to bed, but she was not satisfied. Her desires would not let her sleep. She kept thinking what she wanted to become next.
The man slept well and soundly, for he had run about a lot during the day, but the woman could not sleep at all, but tossed and turned from one side to the other all night long, always thinking about what she could become, but she could not think of anything.
Then the sun was about to rise, and when she saw the early light of dawn she sat up in bed and watched through the window as the sun came up.
"Aha," she thought. "Could not I cause the sun and the moon to rise?"
"Husband," she said, poking him in the ribs with her elbow, "wake up and go back to the flounder. I want to become like God."
The man, who was still mostly asleep, was so startled that he fell out of bed. He thought that he had misunderstood her, so, rubbing his eyes, he said, "Wife, what did you say?"
"Husband," she said, "I cannot stand it when I see the sun and the moon rising, and I cannot cause them to do so. I will not have a single hour of peace until I myself can cause them to rise."
She looked at him so gruesomely that he shuddered.
"Go there immediately. I want to become like God."
"Oh, wife," said the man, falling on his knees before her, "the flounder cannot do that. He can make you emperor and pope, but I beg you, be satisfied and remain pope."
Anger fell over her. Her hair flew wildly about her head. Tearing open her bodice she kicked him with her foot and shouted, "I cannot stand it! I cannot stand it any longer! Go there immediately!"
He put on his trousers and ran off like a madman.
Outside such a storm was raging that he could hardly stand on his feet. Houses and trees were blowing over. The mountains were shaking, and boulders were rolling from the cliffs into the sea. The sky was as black as pitch. There was thunder and lightning. In the sea there were great black waves as high as church towers and mountains, all capped with crowns of white foam.
Mandje! Mandje! Timpe Te! Flounder, flounder, in the sea! My wife, my wife Ilsebill, Wants not, wants not, what I will
"What does she want then?" said the flounder.
"Oh," he said, "she wants to become like God."
"Go home. She is sitting in her filthy shack again."
And they are sitting there even today.
從前,有個(gè)漁夫,他和妻子住在海邊的一所骯髒的小漁舍里。漁夫每天都去釣魚,他總是釣啊釣的,不愿休息有一天,他拿著釣竿坐在海邊,兩眼望著清澈的海水,竟就這樣望啊望的,坐在那里一直發(fā)呆。
忽然,釣鉤猛地往下沉,沉得很深很深,都快沉到海底了。等他把釣鉤拉上來時(shí),發(fā)現(xiàn)釣上來一條很大的比目魚。誰知比目魚竟對(duì)他說:「聽著,漁夫,我懇求你放我一條生路。我并不是甚么比目魚,我是一位中了魔法的王子,你要是殺死我,對(duì)你又有多大好處呢?我的肉不會(huì)對(duì)你的口味的。請(qǐng)把我放回水里,讓我游走吧?!?/p>
「哎,」?jié)O夫說,「你不必這么費(fèi)口舌。一條會(huì)說話的比目魚,我怎么會(huì)留下呢?」說著,他就把比目魚放回清澈的水里。比目魚立刻就游走了,身后留下一條長長的血痕。隨后,漁夫回到他的小屋,走到他妻子的身邊。
「喂,當(dāng)家的,」他妻子問道,「今天你甚么也沒釣到嗎?」
「釣到了,」他回答說,「怎么說呢,我釣到了一條比目魚,可他說他是一位中了魔法的王子,我就把他放了?!?/p>
「難道你沒有提甚么愿望嗎?」妻子問。
「沒有,」丈夫回答說,「我該提甚么愿望呢?」「唉,」妻子說,「住在我們這樣一間骯髒的小房子里,實(shí)在是受罪。你該提希望得到一座漂亮的小別墅呀??烊ジ嬖V他我們要一幢小別墅,我肯定,他會(huì)滿足咱們的愿望的?!?/p>
「可是,」丈夫說,「我怎么好再去哪?」
「唉,」妻子說,「你捉住了他,又放走了他。他肯定會(huì)滿足咱們的愿望的,快去吧?!?/p>
漁夫還是不太愿意去,可又不想惹他妻子生氣,於是,就去了海邊。
他來到海邊時(shí),海水綠得泛黃,也不像以往那樣平靜。他走了過去,站在海岸上說:
「比目魚啊,你在大海里,懇請(qǐng)你好好聽我說仔細(xì),我捉你放你沒提愿望,老婆對(duì)此卻不饒又不依?!?/p>
那條比目魚果真朝他游了過來,問道,「她想要甚么呀?」「嗨,」?jié)O夫說,「剛才我把你逮住了,我老婆說,我應(yīng)該向你提出一個(gè)愿望。她不想再住在那個(gè)小屋子里了,她想要一幢小別墅?!?/p>
「回去吧,」比目魚說,「她已經(jīng)有一幢小別墅啦。」
漁夫便回家去了,他妻子已不再住在那個(gè)破破爛爛的漁舍里,原地上已矗立起一幢小別墅,她正坐在門前的一條長凳上。妻子一見丈夫回來了,就拉著他的手說:「快進(jìn)來看一看。現(xiàn)在不是好多了嗎?」
隨即,他們進(jìn)了屋。小別墅里有一間小前廳,一間漂亮的小客廳,一間乾乾凈凈的臥室、臥室里擺放著一張床還有一間廚房和食物貯藏室,里面擺放著必備的傢俱,錫制銅制的餐具一應(yīng)俱全。還有一個(gè)養(yǎng)著雞鴨的小院子,和一片長滿蔬菜水果的小園子。
「瞧,」妻子說,「不漂亮嗎?」
「漂亮?!拐煞蚧卮鹫f,「咱們就住在這兒,快快樂樂地過日子吧?!?/p>
「這個(gè)嘛,咱們還要想一想,」妻子說。
他們隨后吃了晚飯,就上床休息了。
他們就這樣生活了一兩個(gè)星期。有一天,妻子突然時(shí):「聽著,當(dāng)家的,這房子太小了,院子和園子也太小了。那條比目魚可以送咱們一幢更大一些的。我要住在一座石頭建造的大宮殿里。快去找比目魚,叫他送咱們一座宮殿?!?/p>
「唉,老婆,」丈夫說,「這別墅不是夠好的了嘛?咱們干嘛非得要住在宮殿里呢?」
「胡說,」妻子回答說,「你只管去找比目魚好啦,他會(huì)完全滿足咱們的愿望的?!?/p>
「不行啊,老婆,」丈夫說,「比目魚剛剛送給咱們一幢別墅,我實(shí)在不想再去找他,他會(huì)不高興的?!?/p>
「去吧,快去吧,」妻子大聲說,「他辦得到,也樂意這么辦??烊グ??!?/p>
漁夫心情很沉重,本來是不想去的。他低聲地反反覆覆地自言自語道:「這不應(yīng)該呀?!箍伤€是去了。
他來到海邊時(shí),海水不再是綠得泛黃,已變得混濁不清,時(shí)而暗藍(lán),時(shí)而深紫,時(shí)而灰黑,不過仍然很平靜。漁夫站在岸邊說:
「比目魚啊,你在大海里,懇請(qǐng)你好好聽我說仔細(xì),我捉你放你沒提愿望老婆對(duì)此卻不饒又不依?!?/p>
「那么,她想要甚么呀?」比目魚問。
「唉,」?jié)O夫說,心里有幾分害怕,「她想住在一座石頭建造的宮殿里。」
「回去吧,」比目魚說,「她現(xiàn)在正站在宮殿門前呢?!?/p>
漁夫於是往回走,心里想著快點(diǎn)兒到家吧。走到了原來的地方一看,那兒真的矗立著一座石頭建造的宮殿,非常宏偉壯觀。他老婆站在臺(tái)階上,正準(zhǔn)備進(jìn)去,一見丈夫回來了,就拉著他的手說:「快,快跟我進(jìn)去。」
他和他老婆走了進(jìn)去,只見宮殿里的大廳鋪著大理石;眾多的仆人伺候在那里,為他們打開一扇又一扇的大門;宮中的墻壁色彩艷麗,精美耀眼;房間里擺放著許多鍍金桌椅;大廳所有的房間都鋪了地毯;桌子上擺滿了美味佳餚和各種名貴的東西。屋后還有一個(gè)大院子,院子里設(shè)有馬廄牛棚,有不少馬匹和母牛,一輛富麗堂皇的大馬車就停在那兒;除了院子,還有一座美麗的大花園,花園里開滿了萬紫千紅的花朵兒,生長著不少名貴的水果樹;還有一座佔(zhàn)地有兩英里多長的公園,里面有鹿啊,野兔啊等等,凡能想像出來的里面都有。
「喏,」妻子說,「不漂亮嗎?」
「漂亮,當(dāng)然漂亮啦,」丈夫回答說,「這足夠好啦。咱們就好好地住在這座美麗的宮殿里吧,總該心滿意足啦。」
「這個(gè)嘛,咱們還要想一想,」妻子說,「不過,現(xiàn)在可該上床休息了?!拐f完,他們就上床休息了。
第二天早晨,妻子先醒了,這時(shí)正是黎明時(shí)分,她坐在床上看得見眼前的田野,富饒美麗,一望無際。她用胳膊肘捅了捅丈夫的腰,然后說,「當(dāng)家的,起床吧,快點(diǎn)兒跟我到窗前來。瞧啊,咱們難道不可以當(dāng)一當(dāng)這個(gè)國家的國王嗎?快去找比目魚,說咱們要當(dāng)國王?!?/p>
「哎呀,老婆呀!」丈夫說,「咱們干嗎要當(dāng)甚么國王呢?
我才不想干這個(gè)?!?/p>
「喂,」妻子說,「你不想當(dāng),我可想當(dāng)??烊フ冶饶眶~,告訴他說我必須當(dāng)國王?!?/p>
「唉,老婆呀,」丈夫嚷嚷著說,「你干嗎要當(dāng)甚么國王呢?
我跟他說不出口的呀?!?/p>
「為甚么說不出口呢?」妻子反駁說,「你給我快點(diǎn)兒去,我非當(dāng)國王不可。」
漁夫只得走了出去。一想到老婆非要當(dāng)國王,心里就感到特別擔(dān)憂。「這不應(yīng)該呀,這實(shí)在不應(yīng)該呀?!顾蚨ㄖ饕庀氩蝗チ耍伤€是去了。
他來到海邊時(shí),海水一片灰黑,波濤洶涌,從海底翻涌上來的海水散發(fā)著惡臭。他站在海邊說:
「比目魚啊,你在大海里,懇請(qǐng)你好好聽我說仔細(xì),我捉你放你沒提愿望,老婆對(duì)此卻不饒又不依?!?/p>
「她想要甚么呀?」比目魚問。
「唉,」?jié)O夫回答說,「她要當(dāng)國王?!?/p>
「回去吧,」比目魚說,「她的愿望已經(jīng)實(shí)現(xiàn)了?!?/p>
漁夫於是回家去了。來到宮前時(shí),他發(fā)現(xiàn)宮殿大了許多,增加了一座高塔,塔身上有漂亮的雕飾。一排警衛(wèi)守衛(wèi)在宮殿門口,附近還有許多士兵,門前還有一支樂隊(duì),敲著鑼打著鼓。他走進(jìn)宮殿,只見樣樣?xùn)|西都是金子和大理石做成的;桌椅上鋪著天鵝絨,垂掛著很大的金流蘇。一道道的門忽地打開了,整座王宮處處體現(xiàn)著富麗堂皇。他的老婆就坐在鑲嵌著無數(shù)鉆石的高大的金寶座上,頭戴一頂寬大的金冠,手握一根用純金和寶石做成的王仗。在寶座的兩旁,六名宮女一字排開,一個(gè)比另一個(gè)矮一頭。漁夫走上前去對(duì)她說:「喂,老婆,你現(xiàn)在真的當(dāng)上了國王嗎?」
「是的,」妻子回答說,「咱現(xiàn)在就是國王啦。」他站在那里上上下下地打量著妻子,過了一會(huì)兒說:「哎,老婆,如今你當(dāng)了國王,多么稱心如意啊,往后咱們就不用再要甚么了吧?」
「當(dāng)家的,那可不行,」妻子回答說,情緒開始煩躁起來,「我已經(jīng)感到無聊得很,再也無法忍受了??烊フ冶饶眶~,告訴他說我要當(dāng)皇帝。」
「哎呀,老婆,」丈夫說,「你干嘛要當(dāng)皇帝呢?」
「當(dāng)家的,」妻子說,「快去找比目魚。說我要當(dāng)皇帝?!?/p>
「哎,老婆,」丈夫回答說,「比目魚沒法使你當(dāng)皇帝,我也不想對(duì)他提出這個(gè)愿望。整個(gè)帝國就一個(gè)皇帝呀,比目魚哪能隨便使誰當(dāng)皇帝呢?他確實(shí)不能。」
「你說甚么!」妻子大聲喝道,「我是國王,你不過是我的丈夫而已。你去不去?給我馬上去!他既然可以使我當(dāng)上國王,他也能使我當(dāng)皇帝。我一定一定要當(dāng)皇帝,馬上給我去!」
漁夫不得不去了。他走在路上時(shí),心里感到非常害怕,邊走邊想,「這不會(huì)有好下場(chǎng)的。要當(dāng)皇帝!臉皮真是太厚啦!
到頭來,比目魚就會(huì)惱怒啦?!?/p>
他就這樣一邊想著一邊走,來到了海邊。只見海水一片墨黑,混濁不清,不僅洶涌翻騰,泡沫飛濺,而且旋風(fēng)陣陣,令漁夫感到心驚膽戰(zhàn)。不過,他還是站在海岸上說:
「比目魚啊,你在大海里,懇請(qǐng)你好好聽我說仔細(xì),我捉你放你沒提愿望,老婆對(duì)此卻不饒又不依?!?/p>
「她想要甚么呀?」比目魚問。
「唉,」?jié)O夫回答說,「她要當(dāng)皇帝?!?/p>
「回去吧,」比目魚說,「她已當(dāng)上了皇帝?!?/p>
於是,漁夫往回走,到家時(shí)一看,整座宮殿都由研磨拋光的大理石砌成,石膏浮雕和純金裝飾四處可見。宮殿門前,士兵們正在列隊(duì)行進(jìn),號(hào)角聲,鑼鼓聲,震耳欲聾。在宮殿里,男爵、伯爵走來走去,個(gè)個(gè)一副奴才相。純金鑄造的房門為他一道道打開,他走進(jìn)一看,妻子正坐在寶座上,寶座用一整塊金子鍛造而成,有數(shù)千英尺高。她頭戴一頂寬大的金冠,足有三碼高,上面鑲嵌著無數(shù)珠寶;她一只手里握著皇仗,另一只手托著金球。在她的兩側(cè),站著兩列侍從,一個(gè)比一個(gè)矮,最高的看上去像個(gè)巨人,最矮的是個(gè)小侏儒,還沒有他的手指大。她的面前侍立著不少王孫貴族。
漁夫走了過去,站在他們的中間,說道:「老婆,你這回真的當(dāng)皇帝啦?」
「是的,」她回答說,「我真的當(dāng)皇帝了?!?/p>
漁夫往前移動(dòng)了幾步,想好好看看她。看了一會(huì)兒,他說:「哎,老婆,你當(dāng)上了皇帝,真是太妙啦!」
「喂!」她對(duì)漁夫說,「你還站在這里發(fā)甚么呆?我現(xiàn)在當(dāng)上了皇帝,可是我還想當(dāng)教皇。快去找比目魚告訴他。」
「哎呀,老婆,」?jié)O夫說,「你到底想當(dāng)甚么呀?你當(dāng)不了教皇。在整個(gè)基督教世界教皇只有一個(gè)呀,比目魚無法使你當(dāng)教皇?!?/p>
「我的丈夫呀,」她說,「我要當(dāng)教皇??烊グ?我今天就要當(dāng)教皇?!?/p>
「不行呀,老婆,」?jié)O夫回答說,「我可不想再去告訴比目魚這個(gè)啦,那不行,那太過分啦。比目魚無法讓你當(dāng)教皇的呀。」
「好啦,別再胡說八道啦!」她說,「他既然能讓我當(dāng)上皇帝,他當(dāng)然也就能夠讓我當(dāng)教皇了。馬上去!我是皇帝,你只不過是我的丈夫而已,你馬上就去!」
漁夫膽戰(zhàn)心驚,只得去了。他走在路上,感到渾身發(fā)軟,兩腿哆嗦。顫抖不止,海岸邊的山上狂風(fēng)呼嘯,烏云滾滾,一片昏黑。樹葉沙沙作響,海水像開鍋了似地洶涌澎湃,不斷拍打著他的鞋子。他遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)地看見有些船只在狂濤中顛簸跳蕩,燃放著求救的信號(hào)。天空一片火紅,并且越來越紅,只露出中間一點(diǎn)兒藍(lán)色,好像一場(chǎng)暴風(fēng)雨即將來臨。漁夫站在那里,渾身顫抖,說道:
「比目魚啊,你在大海里,懇請(qǐng)你好好聽我說仔細(xì),我捉你放你沒提愿望,老婆對(duì)此卻不饒又不依?!?/p>
「她想要甚么呀?」比目魚問。
「唉!」?jié)O夫回答說,「她要當(dāng)教皇?!?/p>
「回去吧,她已當(dāng)上了教皇。」比目魚說。
於是,漁夫往回走,到家時(shí)一看,一座大教堂矗立在那里,周圍是幾座宮殿。人們正潮水般擁擠著往里走。大教堂里燃著上千支蠟燭,照得四處通明雪亮,他老婆渾身上下穿戴著金子,坐在更高更大的寶座上,頭上戴著三重大金冠。教會(huì)中的眾多顯貴簇?fù)碓谒闹車?,她的兩?cè)豎立著兩排大蠟燭,最大一根大得就像一座高大的寶塔,而最小的一根則跟普通的蠟燭差不多。天下所有的皇帝和國王都跪在她的面前,爭先恐后地吻她的鞋子。
「老婆,」?jié)O夫看著她說,「你現(xiàn)在真的是教皇了吧?」
「是的,」她回答說,「我是教皇?!?/p>
說著他湊上前去,好好打量了一番,感覺她像耀眼的太陽一般,光輝燦爛??戳艘粫?huì)兒之后,他說:
「老婆,你當(dāng)了教皇,這可真是太了不起啦!」可她呢,坐在那里泥雕木刻一樣,一動(dòng)不動(dòng)。
接著他又說:「老婆,你已經(jīng)當(dāng)上了教皇,這回可該滿足了,不可能還有比這更高的甚么啦。」
「這個(gè)嘛,我還得想一想,」妻子回答說。說完,他們就上床休息了??墒?,她還是感到不滿足,她的野心在不斷地膨脹,貪欲使她久久不能入睡,她左思右想,想自己還能成為甚么。
丈夫因?yàn)榘滋炫芰四敲炊嗟穆?,睡得又香又沉,可妻子呢,在床上輾轉(zhuǎn)反側(cè),不停地考慮著自己還能成為甚么,卻怎么也想不出來了,所以整整一夜沒能睡著。這時(shí),太陽快要出來了,她看見了黎明的曙光,一下從床上坐起身來,望著窗外。透過窗口,她看見一輪紅日冉冉升起,忽然產(chǎn)生了一個(gè)念頭:「哈哈!我難道不該對(duì)太陽和月亮發(fā)號(hào)施令嗎?」「當(dāng)家的,」她用胳膊肘捅了捅丈夫的腰,說道,「快起來,去找比目魚去,告訴他我要控制太陽和月亮。」
丈夫睡得迷迷糊糊的,一聽她這話,嚇得從床上滾了下來。他以為是自己聽錯(cuò)了,就揉了揉眼睛,大聲地問:「老婆,你說甚么來著?」
「當(dāng)家的,」她說,「要是我不能對(duì)太陽和月亮發(fā)號(hào)施令,要他們升他們就升,要他們落他們就落,我就沒法活了。我要按自己的意愿要他們甚么時(shí)候升起,不然我就難以有一刻的安寧。」
她極其兇狠地瞪著丈夫,嚇得他不寒而栗。
「快去!」她喊叫起來,「我要成為太陽和月亮的主人?!埂赴パ窖剑业睦掀叛?」?jié)O夫跪在她面前說,「比目魚辦不到這個(gè)呀,他只能使你成為皇帝和教皇。好好想一想,我求求你啦,就當(dāng)教皇算啦。」
一聽這話,她勃然大怒,腦袋上的頭發(fā)隨即飄蕩起來。她撕扯著自己的衣服,朝著丈夫狠狠地踢了一腳,沖他吼叫道:「我再也無法忍受啦!我再也無法忍受啦!你給我快去!」
漁夫趕緊穿上衣服,發(fā)瘋似的跑了出去。
外邊已是狂風(fēng)呼嘯,刮得他腳都站不住了。一座座的房屋被刮倒,一棵棵大樹被吹翻,連山嶽都在震顫著身子,一塊塊的巖石滾落在大海中。天空雷鳴電閃,一片漆黑,大海掀起滾滾的黑色巨浪,浪頭有山那么高,浪尖上翻涌著白沫。
漁夫嘶聲力竭地喊道:
「比目魚啊,你在大海里,懇請(qǐng)你好好聽我說仔細(xì),我捉你放你沒提愿望,老婆對(duì)此卻不饒又不依?!?/p>
「那么,她到底想要甚么呀?」比目魚問。
「唉,」?jié)O夫回答說,「她想要當(dāng)太陽和月亮的主人。」
「回去吧,」比目魚說,「她又重新住進(jìn)了那個(gè)破漁舍?!?/p>
就這樣,他們一直在那兒生活到今天。
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