Speaking fish

There lived-were the husband and the wife. But the woman was very choosy. Any meal caused in it disgust. Anything it was not pleasant to it: neither a hen, nor meat of the antelope, any fish, except a catfish.

- Catch to me a catfish, - she demanded. - I want only a catfish! If you to me do not catch a catfish, I will die of hunger.

And the husband has decided to grant once its desire. It has gone on river coast, has thrown a fishing tackle, has caught a lot of fish, only a catfish was not caught.

To it has already bothered to stand with a fishing tackle in hands all the day. And suddenly he has felt, as the scaffold has strongly stretched. <Ого! - the husband has thought, - any big fish> was caught.

It has cautiously pulled a fishing tackle and увидал in water a head of a huge catfish. On it nine shells were seen: three on a forehead, three heads on one party, three - on another. The person has thrown a fishing tackle and wished to escape.

- Be not frightened! - fish has shouted to it after. - if you have caught me so bear home.

The person has cautiously come nearer to coast and has extended a catfish from water, He wished to suspend already it on a stick as suddenly fish has again started talking a human voice:

- No, do not pierce me a stick! To me it will be sick. Go to a palm grove, cut branches, make a stretcher and bear me on them.

The person and has arrived. Having come home, he has put fish before the wife, and itself has left. The wife was very happy, even began to dance for pleasure. And when it has bent over huge fish, the catfish has started talking a human voice:

- Before you will prepare me and eat, buy the new knife, the new pot, a new plate and a new mat.

The woman has run to the husband and has asked to buy it all things named fish.

- Listen, - the husband, - after all when I have caught this fish has told to it, she and with me spoke.

But the wife did not begin to listen to it:

- With you spoke, you will think! She talks to me, because wishes to be on friendly terms with me... I also will eat it itself, alone. J-J! After all it is that fish who to me would like to eat so a long time!

The husband has gone and has bought to the wife the new knife, the new pot, a new plate and a new mat. The wife very happy, выпотрошила fish, cut it on pieces and began to cook. When all was ready, she has regretted the husband, has called him and has offered it too a piece of fish. But he has refused:

- Oh, damn! Really you think, what I will begin to eat fish who speaks a human voice? Eat itself! Eternally at you any whims!

The wife has put fish on a new plate, villages on a new mat and began to eat. She ate, ate, ate until from fish remains nothing. At last it has met the desire.

And suddenly fish has started talking a human voice from a stomach of the woman:

- Well as, I bury has eaten?

- Yes, very well.

- Now wash up hands, to you we will talk! The woman has washed up hands, and fish has again asked it:

- You have eaten everything, what was in a pot?

- Yes, all has eaten.

- Prepare, I now will leave!

- How you will leave?

- And how you want, that I left?

- Leave through a nose.

- Faugh, through a nose. Faugh, it at you wet. - well, then through eyes.

- Through eyes. Faugh, they at you always the wet.

- Well, then through ears.

- Through ears... Faugh, they at you eternally dirty.

- Then through a mouth.

- Through a mouth? No, I through it have entered.

- Then leave as you want! - the woman has cried.

And, having broken it a back, fish left outside, and the woman has died.

When the husband has entered into a hut, fish laid, having extended on a mat near to the dead wife.

- You only be not frightened and do not regret the wife. It was the bad woman, - fish has told. - as soon as you will bury her, carry me there where you have caught me. Only not on a stretcher, and in a new mat.

The husband погоревал, погоревал, yes nothing. Has called all relatives and has buried the wife.

Next morning the first cock has sung, has sung the second, has sung the third, and fish has again started talking:

- Rise! Time has come! Bear me to the river.

The person has executed the order of fish. He was afraid of it now and bore very cautiously.

- Do not leave me ashore. Enter into water, bear me to that place which I will specify you, - fish ordered to it.

The person has entered into water, has made some steps.

- Go further, go further! - fish has ordered.

The person has made some more steps. Water reached already to it shoulders.

- Here stop! But do not throw me, and lower in water cautiously! - fish has told.

The person has carefully lowered fish in water. Already from depth of the river she has told, having put out a head:

- Listen, when you will marry second time, choose the wife who would not be such fastidious person! Otherwise to you it will cost lives!

And the person has soon found to itself other wife, but such which and was always happy with all.