Сказка о рыбаке и рыбке 1937 USSR - A classic Russian fable

(The Fisherman and His Fish)

Stop Motion Film produced by Aleksandr Ptushko 1937

### Summary of "The Tale of the Fisherman and His Fish"

The tale begins with a **poor fisherman** who lives in a small hut by the sea with his **wife**. One day, while fishing, he catches a **golden fish** that speaks to him. The fish claims to be magical and offers to grant him a wish if he releases it back into the sea.

Initially reluctant, the fisherman decides to let the fish go, wishing merely for a better life. When he returns home and tells his wife, she is unhappy with their humble dwelling. Driven by her desires, she persuades him to go back to the fish and ask for more.

### The Wishes
1. **First Wish**: The fisherman asks for a nicer home, and to his surprise, it comes true.
2. **Second Wish**: His wife then demands a **palace**. Again, the fish grants this wish.
3. **Third Wish**: As his wife's greed escalates, she demands to become the **queen**, which the fish also grants.

Eventually, his wife's insatiable greed leads her to demand even more—she wishes to be **equal to God**. This is the breaking point. The fisherman, feeling uneasy but compelled to fulfill her wish, approaches the fish one last time.

### The Consequences
When he makes the request, the fish responds with anger and takes everything back. The couple finds themselves returning to their original state of poverty, living in the same old hut by the sea without anything left.

### Moral
The fable concludes with a poignant reminder that **greed** and relentless desire can lead to losing everything one has. It underscores the value of **contentment** and the dangers of excessive ambition.

This story serves as a timeless cautionary tale about human nature and the perils of wishing for more than one truly needs.