从前有个老头儿和他的老太婆住在蓝色的大海边；他们住在一所破哪档拍旧的泥棚里 整整有三十又三年。老头儿撤网打鱼。老太婆纺纱结线。有一次老头儿向大海撒下鱼网， 拖上来的只是些水藻。 接着他又撒了一网， 拖上来的是一些海草。 第三次他撒下鱼网， 却网到一条鱼儿， 不是一条平常的鱼——是条金鱼。 金鱼竟苦苦哀求起来！ 她跟人一样开口讲： “放了我吧，老爷爷，把我放回海里去吧， 我给你贵重的报酬： 为了赎身，你要什么我都依。” 老头儿吃了一惊，心里有点害怕： 他打鱼打了三十三年， 从来没有听说过鱼会讲话。 他把金鱼放回大海， 还对她说了几句亲切的话： “金鱼，上帝保佑！ 我不要你的报偿， 你李羡游到蓝蓝的大海去吧， 在那里自由自在地游吧。” 老头儿回到老太婆跟前， 告诉她这桩天大的奇事。 “今天我网到一条鱼， 不是平常的鱼，是条金鱼； 这条金鱼会跟我们人一样讲话。 她求我把她放回蓝蓝的大海， 愿用最值钱的东西来赎她自己： 为了赎得自由，我要什么她都依。 我不敢要她的报酬，就这样把她放回蓝蓝的海里。” 老太婆指着老头儿就骂： “你这傻瓜，真是个老糊涂！ 不敢拿金鱼的报酬！ 哪怕要只木盆也好， 我们那只已经破得不成样啦。” 于是老头儿走向蓝色的大海， 看到大海微微起着波澜。 老头儿就对金鱼叫唤， 金鱼向他游过来问道： “你要什么呀，老爷爷？” 老头儿向她行个礼回答： “行行好吧，鱼娘娘， 我的老太婆把我大骂一顿， 不让我这老头儿安宁。 她要一只新的木盆， 我们那只已经破得不能再用。” 金鱼回答说：“别难受，去吧，上帝保佑你。 你们马上会有一只新木盆。” 老头儿回到老太婆那儿， 老大婆果然有了一只新木盆。 老太婆却骂得更厉害： “蠢慎你这傻爪，真是个老糊涂！ 真是个老笨蛋，你只要了只木盆。 木盆能值几个？滚回去，老笨蛋，再到金鱼那儿去， 对她行个礼，向她要座木房子。” 于是老头儿又走向蓝色的大海（蔚蓝的大海翻动起来）。 老头儿就对金鱼叫唤，金鱼向他游过来问道： “你要什么呀，老爷爷？” 老头儿向她行个礼回答： “行行好吧，鱼娘娘！ 老太婆把我骂得更厉害，她不让我老头儿安宁， 唠叨不休的老婆娘要座木房。” 金鱼回答说：“别难受，去吧，上帝保佑你。 就这样吧：你们就会有一座木房。” 老头儿走向自己的泥棚， 泥棚已变得无影无踪； 他前面是座有敞亮房间的木房， 有砖砌的白色烟囱， 老太婆坐在窗口下， 指着丈夫破口大骂：还有橡木板的大门，“你这傻瓜，十十足足的老糊涂！ 老混蛋，你只要了座木房！ 快滚，去向金鱼行个礼说： 我不愿再做低贱的庄稼婆， 我要做世袭的贵妇人。” 老头儿走向蓝色的大海 （蔚蓝的大海骚动起来）。 老头儿又对金鱼叫唤， 金鱼向他游过来问道：“你要什么呀，老爷爷？” 老头儿向她行个礼回答：“行行好吧，鱼娘娘！ 老太婆的脾气发得更大，她不让我老头儿安宁。 她已经不愿意做庄稼婆，她要做个世袭的贵妇人。” 金鱼回答说：“别难受，去吧，上帝保佑你。” 老头儿回到老太婆那儿。 他看到什么呀？一座高大的楼房。 他的老太婆站在台阶上， 穿着名贵的黑貂皮坎肩， 头上戴着锦绣的头饰， 脖子上围满珍珠， 两手戴着嵌宝石的金戒指， 脚上穿了双红皮靴子。 勤劳的奴仆们在她面前站着， 她鞭打他们，揪他们的额发。 老头儿对他的老太婆说：“您好，高贵的夫人！ 想来，这回您的心总该满足了吧。” 老太婆对他大声呵叱，派他到马棚里去干活。 过了一星期，又过一星期， 老太婆胡闹得更厉害， 她又打发老头到金鱼那儿去。 “给我滚，去对金鱼行个礼，说我不愿再做贵妇人， 我要做自由自在的女皇。” 老头儿吓了一跳，恳求说： “怎么啦，婆娘，你吃了疯药？ 你连走路、说话也不像样！ 你会惹得全国人笑话。” 老太婆愈加冒火，她刮了丈夫一记耳光。 “乡巴佬，你敢跟我顶嘴，跟我这世袭贵妇人争吵？—— 快滚到海边去，老实对你说， 你不去，也得押你去。” 老头儿走向海边（蔚蓝的大海变得阴沉昏暗）。 他又对金鱼叫唤，金鱼向他游过来问道。 “你要什么呀，老爷爷？” 老头儿向她行个礼回答。 “行行好吧，鱼娘娘， 我的老太婆又在大吵大嚷： 她不愿再做贵妇人，她要做自由自在的女皇。” 金鱼回答说：“别难受，去吧，上帝保佑你。 好吧，老太婆就会做上女皇！” 老头儿回到老太婆那里。 怎么，他面前竟是皇家的宫殿， 他的老太婆当了女皇， 正坐在桌边用膳， 大臣贵族侍候她。 给她斟上外国运来的美酒。 她吃着花式的糕点， 周围站着威风凛凛的卫士， 肩上都扛着锋利的斧头。 老头儿一看——吓了一跳！ 连忙对老太婆行礼叩头， 说道：“您好，威严的女皇！ 好啦，这回您的心总该满足了吧。” 老太婆瞧都不瞧他一眼， 吩咐把他赶跑。 大臣贵族一齐奔过来， 抓住老头的脖子往外推。 到了门口，卫士们赶来， 差点用利斧把老头砍倒。 人们都嘲笑他： “老糊涂，真是活该！ 这是给你点儿教训： 往后你得安守本分！” 过了一星期，又过一星期， 老太婆胡闹得更加不成话。 她派了朝臣去找她的丈夫， 他们找到了老头把他押来。 老太婆对老头儿说： “滚回去，去对金鱼行个礼。 我不愿再做自由自在的女皇， 我要做海上的女霸王， 让我生活在海洋上， 叫金鱼来侍候我，叫我随便使唤。” 老头儿不敢顶嘴，也不敢开口违拗。 于是他跑到蔚蓝色的海边， 看到海上起了昏暗的风暴： 怒涛汹涌澎湃，不住的奔腾，喧嚷，怒吼。 老头儿对金鱼叫唤，金鱼向他游过来问道： “你要什么呀，老爷爷？”老头儿向她行个礼回答： “行行好吧，鱼娘娘！ 我把这该死的老太婆怎么办？ 她已经不愿再做女皇了， 她要做海上的女霸王； 这样，她好生活在汪洋大海， 叫你亲自去侍候她，听她随便使唤。” 金鱼一句话也不说，只是尾巴在水里一划， 游到深深的大海里去了。 老头儿在海边久久地等待回答， 可是没有等到， 他只得回去见老太婆—— 一看：他前面依旧是那间破泥棚， 她的老太婆坐在门槛上，她前面还是那只破木盆。
There was once upon a time a fisherman and his wife who lived together in a piss pot near the sea. Every day the fisherman went out fishing, and he fished a long time. Once he was sitting there fishing and looking into the clear water when 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, I beg you to let me live. I am not an ordinary flounder, but an enchanted prince. 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. Then he put it back into the water, and the flounder quickly disappeared to the bottom, leaving a long trail of blood behind him.
The man then went home to his wife in the piss pot and told her that he had caught a flounder that had told him he was an enchanted prince, and that he had let it 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 piss pot. It is filled with stench and filth. Go back and ask for a little hut for us.
The man did not want to, but he went back to the sea, and when he arrived it was all yellow and green, and he stood next to the water 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 my wife says that I really should have asked for something. She doesn't want to live in a piss pot any longer. She would like to have a hut.
Go home, said the flounder. She already has it.
The man went home, and his wife was standing in the door of a hut, and she said to him, Come in. See, now isn't this much better. And there was a parlor and a bedroom and a kitchen; and outside there was a little garden with all kinds of vegetables, and a yard with hens and ducks.
Oh, said the man. Now we can live well.
Yes, said the woman, we'll give it a try.
Everything went well for a week or two, and then the woman said, Husband. This hut is too small. The yard and the garden are too little. I want to live in a large stone castle. Go back to the flounder and tell him to get a castle for us.
Oh, wife, said the man. The flounder has just given us the hut. I don't want to go back so soon. It may make the flounder angry.
I know he can do it, said the woman, and he won't mind. Just go!
So, with a heavy heart, the man went back, and when he came to the sea, the water was quite purple and gray and dark blue, but it was still, and 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 castle.
Go home. She's already standing before the door, said the flounder.
So the man went home, and his wife was standing in front of a large palace.
See, husband, she said. Isn't this beautiful? And with that they went inside together. There were many servants inside, and the walls were all white, and there were golden chairs and tables in the parlor, and outside the castle there was a garden and a forest a half mile long, and there were elk and deer and rabbits, and there were cow and horse stalls in the yard.
Oh, said the man, now we can stay in this beautiful castle 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 awoke. It was daylight. She poked her husband in the side with her elbow and said, Husband, get up. We should be king over all this land.
Oh, wife, said the man, why do you want to be king? I don't want to be king.
Well, I want to be king.
Oh, wife, said the man, how can you be king? The flounder won't want to do that.
Husband, said the woman, Go there immediately. I want to be king.
So the man, saddened because his wife wanted to be king, went back. And when he arrived at the sea it was dark gray, and the water heaved up from below. 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, my wife wants to be king.
Go home. She's already king, said the flounder.
Then the man went home, and when he arrived at the palace, there were so many soldiers, and drums, and trumpets, and his wife was sitting on a high throne of gold and diamonds, and she was wearing a large golden crown and on either side of her there stood a line of maidens-in-waiting, each one a head shorter than the other.
Oh, said the man, are you king now?
Yes, she said, I am king.
And after he had looked at her awhile, he said, It is nice that you are king. Now we don't have to wish for anything else.
No, husband, she said, I have been king too long. I can't stand it any longer. I am king, but now I would like to become emperor.
Oh, 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 can't make you emperor. I can't tell him to do that.
I am king, said the woman, and you are my husband. Now go there immediately!
So the man went, and on his way he thought, 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 entirely black and dense, and 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, he said, my wife wants to become emperor.
Go home, said the flounder. She's already emperor.
Then the man went home, and when he arrived, his wife was sitting on a very high throne made of one piece of gold, and she was wearing a large golden crown that was two yards high, and guards were standing at her side, 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 counts 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.
Oh, said the man, taking a good look at her. Wife, it's good that you are emperor.
Husband, she said. Why are you standing there? I'm emperor now, and I want to become pope as well.
Oh, wife! said the man. Why do you want to become pope. There is only one pope in all Christendom.
Husband, she said, I want to become pope before the day is done.
No, wife, he said, the flounder cannot make you pope. It's not good.
Husband, what nonsense! If he can make me emperor, then he can make me pope as well. Now go there immediately!
Then the man went, and he felt sick all over, and his knees and legs were shaking, and the wind was blowing, and the water looked like it was boiling, and ships, tossing and turning on the waves, were firing their guns in distress. 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, my wife wants to become pope.
Go home, said the flounder. She's already pope.
Then he went home, and when he arrived there, his wife was sitting on a throne that was two miles high, and she was wearing three large 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. Wife, said the man, giving her a good look, are you pope now?
Yes, she said, I am pope.
Oh, said the man. It is good that you are pope. Wife, we can be satisfied, now that you are pope. There's 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. Then the sun came up. Aha, she thought, as she watched the sunrise through her window. Couldn't I cause the sun to rise? Then she became very grim and said to her husband, Husband, 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. Oh, wife, he said, go on as you are and remain pope.
No, said the woman, tearing open her bodice. I will not be quiet. I can't stand it when I see the sun and the moon coming up, and I can't cause them to rise. I want to become like God!
Oh, wife, said the man. The flounder can't do that. He can make you emperor and pope, but he can't do that.
Husband, she said, looking very gruesome, I want to become like God. Go to the flounder right now!
The man trembled with fear at every joint. Outside there was a terrible storm. Trees and mountains were shaking. The heaven was completely black, and there was thunder and lightning. In the sea he could see black waves as high as mountains, and they were capped with white crowns of foam. He 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, he said, she wants to become like God.
Go home. She is sitting in her piss pot again.
And they are sitting there even today.
嘻嘻不错哦
