The Fisherman and His Wife

by Margot Zemach (Illustrator), Randall Jarrell (Translator), Jacob Grimm

The fisherman's greedy wife is never satisfied with the wishes granted to them by an enchanted fish.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Short Stories, Fiction, Fairy Tales, Classics

32 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1980

About the author

Margot Zemach was an American illustrator and author of children's books. Many were adaptations of folk tales from around the world - mostly Yiddish and other Eastern European stories. Zemach won the 1974 Caldecott Medal for her illustrations of the picture book "Duffy and the Devil", which was written by her husband.

Reviews

[Mohammed Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Person must be thankful for what he has and not always want more, lest it become impossible for him ever to be satisfied. Those who do not appreciate the small things likely do not have the capacity to appreciate anything and are destined to live a life deprived of joy.

[Philip Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fisherman and His Wife is a story about a husband and wife who lived modestly in a hut by the sea. One day, the husband goes fishing and catches a magical fish who claims to be a Prince. The fish asks the man to let him go, to which the man obliges and returns home. Upon his return, the man's wife scolds him for not asking the Prince to grant the man a wish, and orders him to go back to the fish and do so. When the man returns to the sea and calls for the fish, the fish appears and is asked to transform their miserable hut into a nice cottage. The fish obliges and the man returns home to his wife. However, after a short time, the wife is no longer content with a cottage and asks for a mansion. The man continues to return to the fish asking for favors until one day, the fish no longer grants the man's wish and they are returned to their miserable little hut by the sea.
This story represents an ideal form of traditional literature in that it teaches the reader a valuable lesson in the form of a story. This tale has been passed down for many generations with the hopes of evoking the same feelings and understanding from each reader, regardless of cultural background. The content of the story is easy to comprehend, and the illustrations sufficiently reinforce the message being taught.
I think this story could be effectively introduced to a wide range of young learners to convey the concept of being content with what they already have. More so today than ever, children do not hesitate to ask for more or expect only the best. This story allows them to understand that continually asking for more will eventually lead to less. The moral of this story is powerfully clear, and is conveyed in a manner that is easy to follow and relate with. Readers are sure to leave with a positive outcome and a clear understanding of wants and needs.

[❆ Crystal ❆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story. I like that the man was humble even though he was unable to ever stand up to his wife. Greed can change people for sure.... for some, it's never enough no matter how much it is. I liked the ending.

[Alissa Gazaryants · Rating 4 out of 5]

The overall message of the story is about greed and appreciating what you have, but the book was getting to the point where it was just getting frustrating to read because the fisherman's wife never seemed to be happy with what she was given and it was feeling quite lengthy. It seems like it is a well known story to many, but I am hoping to see some more modern takes and twists on this story!

[مروة الجزائري · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG the fisherman's wife is so annoying and greedy! I liked what happened at the end and through the whole story i kept on saying ( oh man, just tell her to shut up ).

great story and great moral, we have Arabic saying ( who want it all, lose it all )

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

learning to value what you have, becareful of three wishes, they may not be what you want.

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 2 out of 5]

Zemach's earlier version The Fisherman and His Wife is better.

[Emma Vargo · Rating 3 out of 5]

K-2nd fiction
A good lesson offered on greed, the Fisherman's wife takes things very far after he catches a magical fish. Teaches us to appreciate what we have.

[Saffron Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This rating is for the edition adapted and illustrated by Margot Zemach.

[Random Scholar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a powerful retelling of the famous tale of the Fisherman and his greedy wife. I would read this to students in first and second grade.