Germany, Democratic Republic (DDR) #1509a (1973) – Scenes from The Fisherman and His Wife by the Brothers Grimm

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Germany, Democratic Republic (DDR) #1509a (1973) – Scenes from The Fisherman and His Wife by the Brothers Grimm

Sheet of 6: #1504-1509

The original is a Russian Fairy tale called “At the Pike’s Behest” and catalogs call it that.

“At the Pike’s Behest” refers to a classic Russian fairy tale titled “The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish” (Сказка о рыбаке и рыбке), also known as “At the Pike’s Behest” or “The Fisherman and His Wife.” The tale was collected and popularized by the Brothers Grimm in their collection of folktales, but the Russian version has its unique variations.

The Brothers Grimm version of “The Fisherman and His Wife” is a German fairy tale collected by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. In their version, the story is titled “Von dem Fischer un syner Fru” (translated to English as “The Fisherman and His Wife”). Here is a brief summary of the tale:

The story follows a poor fisherman who catches a magical flounder (fish). The flounder speaks to him, claiming to be an enchanted prince, and pleads to be released. The fisherman lets the flounder go, and in return, the flounder promises to grant him any three wishes.

The fisherman goes home and tells his wife about the encounter. His wife, however, is not satisfied with modest wishes and insists on making increasingly grand requests. With each wish, she becomes more and more discontented, desiring to be queen, then emperor, and eventually even aspiring to be like God. The wishes are granted, but as her desires become more extravagant, the consequences become dire.

In the end, the flounder revokes all the wishes, and the fisherman and his wife find themselves back in their humble dwelling. The story serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of greed and the importance of being content with what one has.

“The Fisherman and His Wife” is one of the many classic folktales collected by the Brothers Grimm in the 19th century, and it has been adapted and retold in various forms across different cultures.