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Перевод на английский язык Эмали Стриганова. 13 лет.
Story about the fisherman and the golden fish.
Once upon a time, there was an old man and an old lady who lived near the black sea in their little old house for over 3 plus 3 years. Every day the man goes outside to go fishing, while the old lady sits inside her little house remembering about her old life where she had everything she could every want. A maid, a big house and whatever she wanted.
Her dad was a thief and was the one who brought home money. Every day the girl went out and one day, she got married to a young man who was just like her. But one day, her dad got sent to jail. She and her husband spent every last penny dad ever earned. The bank even took their house because they owned a lot of money.
One day the old man went out to catch fish by the sea but he couldn’t get a bite, not one. The sun already had gone down, and suddenly the fishing rod started to pull and soon after the man saw a golden colored fish.
“Please let me go, please let me go back into the sea. I’m begging you” said the fish.
“If you let me go, I’ll grant you three wishes, but please let me go”.
“What can you do anyway, little fish? But I’ll let you go back into the sea” said the man.
“Thank you, and now I’ll grant your first wish, choose wisely” the magical fish replied as the old man let it go.
“Now make a wish old man and I will grant your wish” the fish said.
“Well, I suppose I would want my bucket to be full of fish” Said the man.
As soon as the man finished his sentence, the bucket was full to the top. Happy and satisfied the old man went home and hoped that his wife will be happy. As he walked in, his wife saw the bucket full of fish and truly smiled.
“Oh, what luck I had today!” the man said as he continued to tell her all about the strange encounter with the magical fish.
As he finished telling the story, evil flashed over the eyes of his wife.
“You fool, you should’ve asked for something bigger or better rather than a bucket of fish! Like a house. Now go back to the fish and ask it for a big house with water and gas” said the woman.
The old man went back to the Black Sea and started to ask for the fish to come by. The fish swam and stopped.
“What are you ought?” Said the fish.
“My wife, she’s not happy, she wants a white stone bricks house and that there should be water and gas.” Replied the man.
“Don’t worry, go home. You will have your white stone house waiting for you” said the fish.
The man came home and sees the house he asked for from the fish. But his wife was still not happy.
“You fool, you got a house, but who’s going to clean it? Go back to your stupid magical fish. Ask him who’s going to work in it? I expect maids, who do everything I say” said the wife.
The man set off back to the Black Sea and is asking for the fish again. The fish swam by again and asked him.
“What do you need, old man?” asked the fish.
“My wife isn’t happy yet, the wants maids so that they do everything she tells them too” the man said.
“Don’t be sad, go back home and you will find yourself maids” replied the fish.
And the man came home. When the man comes home, he heard his wife screaming, beating and ordering the maids. His wife comes running towards him and says.
“Go back to your stupid fish, I need more. I want to sit in the presidential chair, I want to rule the country, and even more I want the whole world afraid of me. I want them to bow down to me, I want to be feared. And you, I’ll put you as a deputy, you’re not fit for anything else” ordered the wife.
"The fish only promi sed to fulfill three wishes!” argued the man.
“Go back to the Black Sea, and you do whatever it takes to fulfill my desires!” the woman screamed towards him.
The man walked back to the Sea and he sits down. He doesn’t say a word, he can’t call the fish. But the fish came by itself.
“What’s the matter now? What do you need” asked the fish.
“Oh, my wife is mad again. She wants to sit in the presidential seat and she wants the whole world to fear her. I don’t know what to do.” said the man.
Suddenly, the sky dimmed down. A big black cloud covered the ground. Then came loud lightning that hit the ground. Big high waves came roaring and they roared down onto the shore.
And when the clouds cleared up, bright sunshine lighted everything up.
And their white stone house disappeared and so did the old man and his wife.
.
Serves the mean old lady right. And that serves the plain foolish man right.
The Fisherman and the Golden Fish
There once lived an old man and his good-wife
On the shore of the deep blue ocean;
They lived in a tumble-down hovel
For thirty-three summers and winters.
The old man used to fish for his living,
And his wife spun yarn on her distaff.
He once cast his net in the ocean,
And pulled it up with mud from the bottom;
He again cast his net in the ocean,
And this time caught nothing but seaweed;
When he cast his net for the third time,
One fish was all that he landed,
No common fish, though, but a goldfish.
Now the goldfish began to implore him,
And it spoke like a real human being:
«Put me back, old man, into the ocean -
I will pay you a right royal ransom,
I wilt give you whatever you ask me.»
The old man was astonished and frightened -
He’d been fishing for thirty-three summers,
Bat had not heard of any fish talking.
So with care he untangled the goldfish
And tenderly said as he did so:
«God bless you, my dear little goldfish!
Thank you kindly, I don’t want your ransom.
Go back to your home in the ocean,
And roam where you will without hindrance.»
To his wife the old fisherman hastened
To tell her about this great marvel.
«I caught only one fish this morning -
A goldfish it was, most uncommon;
It spoke like a Christian, and begged me
To put it back into the ocean,
And promised to pay a rich ransom,
To give me whatever I asked for.
But how could I ask for a ransom?
I released it without any payment.»
His wife started scolding her husband:
«Oh you simpleton! Oh yon great silly!
Couldn’t make a mere fish pay a ransom!
You at least might have asked for a wash-tub —
For ours is all falling to pieces!»
The old man returned to the seashore,
Where the blue waves were frolicking lightly.
My old woman has scolded me roundly-
Won’t leave me alone for a minute,
She says that she wants a new wash-tub,
For ours is all falling to pieces.»
«Do not worry, go home, God be with you -
Very well, you shall have a new wash-tub.»
And behold - there it was, the new wash-tub.
But she scolded him louder than ever:
To ask for a tub-a mere wash-tub!
What good can you get from a wash-tab?
Return to the goldfish, you silly,
Bow down low and ask for a cottage.»
Again he went back to the seashore,
And this time the blue sea was troubled.
He called out aloud for the goldfish,
«What is it, old man, you are wanting?»
With a bow, the old man said in answer:
«Forgive me, Your Majesty Goldfish!
My old woman is angrier than ever,
Won’t leave me alone for a minute-
The old scold says she wants a new cottage.»
The goldfish murmured in answer:
«Do not worry, go home, God be with you!
So be it! You’ll have a new cottage!»
So back the old man turned his footsteps;
Not a sign did he see of his hovel.
In its place stood a new gabled cottage,
With a chimney of brick, newly whitewashed,
A fence with oak gates stood around it;
And there sat his wife at a window;
When she saw him, she scolded him roundly:
«Oh you simpleton! Oh you great silly!
To ask for no more than a cottage!
Go and bow to the goldfish, and tell it
That I’m tired of being a peasant,
That I want to be made a fine lady.»
The old man then returned to the seashore,
Where the ocean was restlessly foaming,
The goldfish swam up and demanded:
«What is it, old man, you are wanting?»
With a bow, the old man said in answer:
«Forgive me, Your Majesty Goldfish!
My old woman is madder than ever,
She gives me no rest for a second,
Says she’s tired of being a peasant,
And wants to be made a fine lady.»
The goldfish murmured in answer:
«Do not worry, go home, God be with you.»
To his wife the old fisherman hastened,
And what did he see? - a tall mansion;
On its white marble stairs - his old woman.
She was wearing a rich sable jacket,
And s head-dress, in gold all embroidered;
Her neck was with pearls heavy laden;
She wore golden rings on her fingers;
She was shod in the softest red leather;
Zealous servants bowed meekly before her,
As she cuffed them and rated them roundly.
The old man then approached his wife, saying.
«Greetings, your ladyship, greetings, fine lady!
She angrily bade him be silent
And sent him to serve in the stables.
First a week slowly passed, then another,
One morning she sent for her husband,
And said: «Bow to the goldfish and tell it
I am tired of being a lady,
And I want to be made a Tsaritsa.»
Her husband implored her in terror,
Saying: «Woman-you’ve surely gone crazy!
You can’t even talk like a lady!
You’d be mocked at all over the kingdom!
His old woman grew madder than ever,
Slapped his face and then shouted in passion:
«How dare you, muzhik, stand and argue,
Stand and argue with me, a fine lady?
Go at once - if you don’t, then I warn you,
You’ll be dragged to the shore, willy-nilly.»
The old man went down to the seashore
(The ocean was swollen and sullen).
He called out aloud for the goldfish,
And the goldfish swam up and demanded:
«What is it, old man, yon are wanting?»
With a bow, the old man said in answer:
«Forgive me, Your Majesty Goldfish!
Again my old woman’s gone crazy!
Now she’s tired of being a lady!
She wants to be made a Tsaritsa.
The goldfish murmured in answer:
Do not worry, go home, God be with you!
Very well! She shall be a Tsaritsa!»
To his wife the old fisherman hastened,
And what did he see? A grand palace;
In the palace he saw his old woman,
At the table she sat, a Tsaritsa,
Attended by nobles and boyards;
They were pouring choice wines in her goblet,
She was nibbling sweet gingerbread wafers;
Around her, grim guards stood in silence,
With halberds upon their broad shoulders.
The old man was aghast when he saw this,
He bowed to her feet and said humbly:
«Greetings, Oh mighty Tsaritsa!
Now I hope that your soul is contented!»
But she gave not a glance at her husband -
She ordered him thrust from her presence.
The boyards and nobles all hastened
And drove him with blows from the chamber;
The guards at the door waved their halberds
And threatened to cut him to pieces.
All the people derided him, saying.
«Serves you right, now, you ill-bred old fellow.
You churl-this will teach you a lesson,
To keep to your station in future!»
First a week slowly passed, then another;
The old woman grew prouder than ever.
She sent for her husband one morning,
And her chamberlain haled him before her.
The old woman spoke thus to her husband:
«Go, bow to the goldfish, and tell it
That I’m tired of being Tsaritsa,
Of the seas I want to be mistress,
With my home in the blue ocean waters;
The goldfish I want for my servant
To do my commands and my errands.»
The old man durst not contradict her,
Nor open his lips to make answer.
He sadly set out for the seashore.
A tempest raged over the ocean,
Its waters were swollen and angry,
Its billows were boiling with fury.
He called out aloud for the goldfish.
The goldfish swam up and demanded:
«What is it, old man, you are wanting?»
With a bow, the old man said in answer;
«Forgive me, Your Majesty Goldfish!
What shall I do with my cursed old woman?
She is tired of being Tsaritsa,
Of the seas she now wants to be mistress,
With her home in the blue ocean waters;
She wants you to be her own servant,
To do her commands and her errands.»
Not a word spoke the goldfish in answer,
It just swished its tail, and in silence
Disappeared in the depths of the ocean.
He waited in vain for an answer,
And at last turned his steps to the palace;
And behold - there again stood his hovel;
On the doorstep sat his old woman,
With the same broken wash-tab before her.
Translated by Irina Zheleznova, 1986
>Золотая рыбка/ The Golden Fish
Сказка The Golden Fish (Золотая рыбка) на английском языке
Once upon a time, in a land far far away lived a very poor couple in a shack not far from the edge of the sea. Their only means of food was the fish that the old man caught in the sea. One morning, as was his usual routine, the fisherman took his fishing net down to the sea. But on this day something unusual happened, on this day the fisherman caught the Golden Fish. The Golden Fish begged for the fisherman to spare his life, and offered in return to grant the fisherman any wish he would like. But the kindhearted fisherman asked for nothing, and returned the Golden Fish to the sea. However, the fisherman"s wife was not so kindhearted, she became irate when he related the story to her, and sent him back to the sea to catch the Golden Fish and to wish for a loaf of bread. The fisherman did as he was told, he caught the fish and wished for a loaf of bread. When he returned home he found a fresh baked loaf of bread on the table.
The fisherman"s wife then decided that she wanted more than just a loaf of bread. The next morning she sent her husband to ask for a new. He returned home to find his wife with a new washtub, but she still wasn"t satisfied.
The following day the husband was sent to the sea to find the magic fish and to wish for a new house. This wish was, like the ones before it, granted to the fisherman. But the fisherman was sent back again the next day to wish that his wife would become governor. This time he returned home to find his wife dressed in riches and ordering about servants. But the woman was still unhappy, and demanded to become Queen of all the land.
Eventually, even being Queen of all the land did not satisfy the wife, and so she sent her husband once last time to the sea to catch the Golden Fish and to wish that she would be ruler of the sea and of all creatures who live in it. The fisherman caught the fish, and made the wish. However, when he returned home his wife was dressed in her old rags, standing by her old broken washtub, inside the old shack, with not even a loaf of bread to eat.
