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 18 THE FISHERMAN AND EIS WIFE.

Then the fish came swimming to him, and said, " Well, what does she want ?" " Ah !" answered the fisherman, * my wife says that when I had caught you, I ought to have asked you for something before I let you CO again; she does not like living any longer in the ditch, and wants a little cottage." " Go home, then," said the fish ; ** she is in the cottage already." So the man went home, and saw his wife standing at the door of a cottage. " Come in, come in," said she ; " is not this much better than the ditch ?" And there was a parlour, and a bed- chamber, and a kitchen; and behind the cottage there was a little garden with all sorts of flowers and fruits, and a courtyard full rf ducks and chickens. " Ah !" said the fisherman, " how happily we shall live !" " We will try to do so at least," said his wife.

Everything went right for a week or two, and then Dame Alice said, " Husband, there is not room enough in this cottage, the court- yard and garden are a great deal too small ; I should like to have a large stone castle to live in ; so go to the fish again, and tell him to give us a castle." " Wife," said the fisherman, " I don't like to go to him again, for perhaps he will be angry ; we ought to be content with the cottage." "Nonsense!" said the wife; "he will do it very willingly ; go along and try."

The fisherman went ; but his heart was very heavy : and when he came to the sea it looked blue and gloomy, though it was quite calm, aad he went close to it, and said,

^ O man of the sea I

Come listen to me.

For Alice my wife,

The plague of my life. Hath sent me to beg a boon of thee I *

• Well, what doe& she want mow ?" said the fish. " Ah !" said the man very sorrowfully, "my wife wants to live in a stone castle." "Go