Page:TASJ-1-3.djvu/287

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Her husband reluctantly complies with her desires and once more addressed himself to the fish, with their new request, which is granted and he returns to find his wife invested with all the splendonrs of royalty.

She now desires to be empress and this wish is also granted.

Nor satisfied with being empress she next requires to be the Pope, and even this is conceded, and when the husband comes back he finds her in a large cathedral.

‘Well wife,’ says the husband, ‘and you are Pope? ‘Yes,’ she said ‘I am.’

He stood still for a time watching her, and at length he remarked ‘You cannot be higher than the Pope, so I suppose you are now content.’

‘I am not quite sure,’ she said. But when evening came, and they retired to rest, she could not sleep for thinking of what next she should wish for.

Her husband slept soundly, for he had tired himself the day before; but she rose even before the day broke, and stood at the window to watch the sunrise. It was a beautiful sight, and she exclaimed as she watched it ‘Oh, if I only had the power to make the sun rise! Husband wake up,’ she added, pushing him in the ribs with her elbows; ‘wake up and go and tell the enchanted prince that I wish to be equal to the Creator, and make the sun rise.’

The husband was so frightened at this that he tumbled out of bed, and exclaimed, ‘Ah wife, what did’st thou say?’

She repeated the words

Her husband fell on his knees before her ‘Don’t ask me to do this, I cannot’ he cried, but she flew into a rage and drove him from the house.

The poor fisherman went down to the shore in terror, for a dreadful storm had arisen, and he could scarcely stand on his feet. Ships were wrecked, boats tossed to and fro, and rocks rolled into the sea.

In his terror and confusion he heard a voice from amidst the storm ‘Your wife wishes to be equal to the Creator,