Once upon a time there lived an old woman and an old man. Their little house was situated right on the seashore, and in that house was old furniture. They lived poorly, without luxury or wealth. Grandfather was a fisherman, and Grandmother kept house. Their children lived far abroad and only occasionally wrote letters. And so one fine day, when it was already dawn outside, a courier knocked on the door:
Good morning, you have a parcel!
Grandfather, come here quickly! Some young lad has brought us a parcel. Should we take it or not?
Grandmother worried.
Who is it from?
Grandfather was surprised.
The parcel is for you from distant lands, it came across the sea and through cities.
The courier replied.
Did our children send us exotic delicacies? Of course we'll take it, leave the parcel with us!
Grandfather exclaimed.
As soon as the door closed behind the courier, Grandfather and Grandmother began to open the parcel. They opened a large box, and inside was a brand new, beautiful laptop of the latest generation.
Oh my goodness, what on earth is this box? And what are these little cords and holes in it?
Grandmother was amazed.
You're something else! This is a real computer. You can play games on it, watch films and even print a book!
Grandfather was delighted and began to take the laptop out of the box.
And how do you know what this fashionable thing is?
Grandmother cried out in surprise.
Well, the men at fishing told me how they watch interesting films on such computers and play 'tanks'.
What tanks? What kind of game is that? Are they huge, metal, real ones that shoot and drive?
Grandmother nearly fell over in surprise.
You really are behind the times, old woman! 'Tanks' is a game, I'll go fishing and ask the men how to play it. We'll have such fun together. Instead of staring out the window in the evenings and being bored, we'll play 'tanks' whenever we want!
Grandfather scratched his head and began to connect the laptop.
He read the instructions for a long time, turning the laptop this way and that. And the package had everything needed: a modem, a wi-fi router, and even speakers to listen to music louder.
Grandfather connected everything and went fishing to meet the men and ask them everything. He came to the shore, but there was no one there. He had to go back home.
Night fell, Grandfather and Grandmother were getting ready for bed. And suddenly they heard strange sounds from the room where they'd put the laptop: 'beep-beep'. Grandfather and Grandmother were frightened, jumped up and ran to the room. The screen had lit up, music was playing, and on the monitor was an image of their own children, who lived far abroad.
How do you turn this thing on? Maybe I should press this blue button?
Grandfather decided to try his luck and pressed the button with all his might.
Mum, Dad, finally you're online. You sit in your backwater and don't know what's happening in the world. So we decided to give you a present - a new, beautiful laptop so you could stay in touch with us anytime. We want to come and visit you soon, we've really missed you.
What joy!
Grandmother cried out.
Our dear children are coming, but we have nothing to feed them with. Come on, Grandfather, go down to the shore for fish, maybe we'll have a good catch today.
Grandfather took his fishing gear and went fishing. He sat on the shore, an hour passed, then another, but there were no bites at all. And suddenly he felt the line on his rod tighten, the bell rang. Grandfather began to pull with all his might, and he pulled out a fish.
Just as he was about to throw it in the bucket, he heard the fish speak in a human voice:
Don't eat me, old man. I'm small and not tasty. Let's do this - you let me go, and I'll grant your wish. Make a wish!
Grandfather didn't think long and decided to take this chance.
Can you fill my fridge with food? My children are coming from far away, and I have nothing to treat them with.
That's not difficult at all. You'll have a full fridge of food, the tastiest and most wholesome.
The fish replied.
And so they did. Grandfather went home, and the fish swam off into the vast sea. Grandfather came home and found the fridge full of food: red caviar, black caviar, trout and salmon. Various tropical fruits, fragrant, and in the middle of the table were lobsters, langoustines and a small roasted piglet.
Where did all this come from?
Grandmother asked in bewilderment.
This, old woman, is our salvation. I caught a golden fish while fishing, not an ordinary one, but a truly magical one. And we made a deal - I let her go into the sea, and she grants any wish I make.
Grandfather told her with burning eyes.
Grandmother clutched her head and cried out:
So nothing but food came into that old head of yours? Let's ask her for a sausage factory right away. You need to make wishes so that we benefit too. We'll get rich, buy fur coats, a car, go into business. Go to that fish and ask her for a factory.
Grandfather came to the shore, and there, right by the sand, the golden fish was already waiting for him and asked in a human voice:
Well, are you happy with the food? You have the best things in your fridge now.
My old woman is not satisfied. She wants a sausage factory now so we can have our own business and live richly.
No problem! Your old woman will have a factory.
Grandfather came home, and there, next to the little house, was a tall fence and buildings on two hectares of land. Inside everything was humming, making noise, with lots of people working, and pigs and cows living in the enclosure.
Wow! And it really is a proper factory! And there's a farm next to it!
Grandfather was so surprised he nearly crashed into the fence.
Well, old woman, how do you like it? Are you happy now?
Grandmother thought and said:
Let's go together to this golden fish. Let her look at me more carefully, remember my face, and now every time I ask her, she'll grant my wish.
Grandmother quickly got ready and went to the shore.
Hey fish, come out! I've brought you my old woman so you can grant her wishes.
Grandfather shouted.
The fish swam up to the very shore and said:
What do you want? What wish shall I grant?
I want you to always serve me and grant all my wishes instantly. Right now, for example, I want my own island in the middle of the ocean, a fancy aeroplane so we can fly to that island, and all your sea where lots of fish swim, I'll build a city on the water so all the sea creatures will obey me.
But how can that be? If you build a city on the water, where will all the other sea creatures live?
I'll put them in special aquariums.
Grandmother laughed.
And suddenly the fish flicked her tail, waves rose in the sea, wind swirled everything around. Grandfather and Grandmother ran home, and decided they would come back when the storm died down. But instead of the factory next to the house, a thick forest suddenly appeared with wild animals, so now Grandfather and Grandmother couldn't even leave the house. The fridge was empty again, with only a crust of bread on the shelf. And so Grandfather and Grandmother were left with nothing, and they greeted their children with a piece of bread, without butter and not even salt.
Read fairy tales and you will always know what to wish for and what not to do!
