Once upon a time, there was a kind fisherman who lived in a little, creaky shack by the sea with his wife. Every day, he would toss his fishing line into the sparkling waves, hoping for his next big catch. One sunny morning, he caught something truly extraordinary—a glittery golden fish! But wait, this was no ordinary fish. It spoke! "Hello, kind fisherman," said the fish. "Please let me go, and I’ll grant you a wish!"

The fisherman, startled but polite, replied, "Oh! A talking fish! No need for wishes—I couldn’t possibly eat you anyway." So, with a splash, the golden fish swam off happily into the ocean.

When the fisherman told his wife about the magical fish later that day, her eyes grew wide with excitement. "A wish? Why didn’t you ask for something? Our little shack is falling apart! Go back and ask for a nice, cozy house!" Though the fisherman didn’t really mind their shack, he wanted his wife to be happy. So, off he went, back to the sea.

Standing by the shore, he called, "Oh golden fish, oh golden fish, hear my plea! My wife has a wish—can you help, please?" The golden fish popped out of the water, shimmering in the sunlight. "Your wish is granted," it said kindly, and with that, it disappeared beneath the waves.

When the fisherman returned home, his old shack was gone! In its place stood a snug little cottage with a shiny roof and a garden full of colorful flowers. The fisherman’s wife was beyond thrilled—at least for a while.

A few days later, she said, "This house is nice, but wouldn’t it be better to live in a big, fancy mansion with servants and a grand staircase? Go ask the fish!" The fisherman hesitated but didn’t want to disappoint her. He trekked back to the shore and called out again, "Oh golden fish, oh golden fish, hear my plea! My wife has another wish—can you help, please?"

Sure enough, the fish granted her wish. When the fisherman returned home, the cozy cottage had turned into a towering mansion with glittering windows, golden chandeliers, and servants bustling about with trays of treats. His wife was delighted, but guess what? It still wasn’t enough.

Soon, she wanted to be queen of all the land. Then, she wanted to be empress of the world! And every time, the fisherman walked to the shore, and the kind golden fish granted her wish without complaint. But with each wish, the fisherman noticed the sky growing darker, the waves becoming rougher, and the golden fish looking tired.

Finally, his wife demanded to rule the universe itself. "Go tell the fish!" she said, waving him off. The fisherman reluctantly went to the stormy shore one last time. "Oh golden fish, oh golden fish, hear my plea! My wife has another wish—can you help, please?" The golden fish swam up, its glitter dim and its voice soft. "Go home," it said gently. "She already has everything she needs."

When the fisherman returned home, he found their little creaky shack by the sea, just as it had been in the beginning. His wife sat outside, looking disappointed at first. But then, she realized how peaceful and lovely their simple life was. The flowers still bloomed, the waves still sparkled, and they had each other.

And from that day forward, the fisherman and his wife were grateful for their little shack and never asked for anything more.

Sometimes, you don’t need bigger or better—just a happy heart.