"The Fisherman and His Wife"

From What Your Second Grader Needs to Know

Written by E.D. Hirsch

Grade:

2-4

ISBN-13:

978-0553392401

Publisher:

Bantam Books (2014)

In "The Fisherman and His Wife," a tale from What Your Second Grader Needs to Know, a humble fisherman catches a magical fish that grants wishes. His greedy wife, dissatisfied with their simple life, demands ever-grander wishes—from a cottage to a castle, then to be king, emperor, and even a god. Each wish is granted, but her insatiable desires lead to their downfall, returning them to their original shack. Through the wife’s unchecked ambition and lack of self-control, the story vividly teaches second graders the virtues of moderation, self-control, and humility, showing that contentment with what one has brings true happiness, while greed invites ruin.