The Magic Fish (The Fisherman and His Wife)

Retold by Freya Littledale
Illustrated by Winslow Pinney Pels

Grade:

2-3

ISBN-13:

978-0590411004

Publisher:

Scholastic (1992)

A humble fisherman catches a magic fish that grants wishes. His greedy wife, dissatisfied with their simple life, repeatedly demands ever-grander wishes. Each wish is granted, but her insatiable desires lead to their downfall. Through the wife’s unchecked ambition and lack of self-control, the story vividly teaches the virtues of moderation, self-control, and humility, showing that contentment with what one has brings true happiness, while greed invites ruin.