THE FISH PRINCE.

Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away, there lived a King and a Queen, who had all the happiness in the world, but one.

Queen: When will the almighty bless us with a child?

King: Ohhh!

Yes, the royal couple did not have a child and the Queen prayed every day to be blessed with one. Now one day, some fish were brought to the royal kitchen, and to be prepared for the King and the Queen, when suddenly the chef saw a beautiful fish.

Chef: Oh my! What a beautiful fish!

Fish: Oh dear, sir! Please spare my life!

"Huh? You can talk?!" The chef was shocked. The chef was a greedy man, and at once thought that presenting a talking fish to the Queen will have him rewarded handsomely. And so, to the Queen's extreme delight, the fish was presented to her.

Queen: Is this a miracle!?

King: Or you can say, your prayers have been answered.

The Queen's eyes welled with tears as she overcomes with joy. She awarded the chef handsomely and began to spend her time with the fish.

Queen: You know, I have always longed for a child, but I think my prayers have been answered. From today, You are my son! And you shall be called the Fish Prince!

Fish Prince: Thank you, Queen-Mother!

Days passed and the Queen became very fond of her adopted son. The whole kingdom found it very amusing but did not dare to speak about it. Now it so happened, that one morning when the Queen woke up, she saw to her horror, that the Fish Prince had grown to become too large for the bowl. "Maids!" Called the Queen. The Queen had another bowl made for the Fish Prince, which was larger; but again...after a few days, he became too larger for the bowl. Finally, the Queen had a large tank made for him which was placed in the royal garden. The Fish was delighted to have a bigger home.

Fish Prince: Thank you Queen-Mother!

Queen: Anything for you, my son!

Things were going well and the king and the Queen were very happy, until one day... When the Queen found that the water in the tank was still and the Fish Prince looked very sad. His colorful fins looked dull, and his face, dejected.

Queen: Oh my dear, Son! What is the matter? Don't you like the tank anymore?

Fish Prince: Huh! It is not that, Queen-Mother. All I want is to have a nice little wife and live right here with me...for I feel very lonely.

The Queen was taken aback by the statement, but she loved her son more than anything and could not see him sad.

Queen: You are my son! There shouldn't be any reason for you to be sad. I will find you a wife at once and have a room built near the tank for her.

And so, the Queen had a room built for the Fish Prince near the tank... And an order was sent out that whoever gave their daughter as a wife to the Fish Prince will be rewarded handsomely. But finding a wife for the Fish Prince was not easy...And everyone that the soldiers approached, denied the Queen's offer, for they feared that the Fish Prince wanted a wife only to eat her alive. Finally, on the twenty-first day, the royal minister came upon a house where lived an evil woman with a daughter and a stepdaughter. When she heard of the offer, she at once agreed.

Evil woman: Wonderful! You have come to the right place! My stepdaughter is very beautiful and will make a great wife for the Fish Prince. Come with the reward tomorrow and take her with you.

The minister was delighted. he thanked the woman and left. The evil woman told her step-daughter about the offer, and the poor girl, who was called Alia, cried.

Alia: No, mother, please! The Fish prince will kill me.

Evil woman: I don't care! I need the money, and you will obey me! Now go to the river and wash your clothes. I want you to look presentable tomorrow.

Alia took her clothes and went down the river, where she wept bitterly. Hearing her cry, the Seven-Headed-Cobra, who was her friend, came out. "What is it, Alia? Why are you crying?" Asked the Seven-Headed-Cobra. Alia narrated everything to him, and then the Seven-Headed-Cobra said: I know all about it. Don't cry. Pick up those three pebbles outside my hole and put them in your dress. When you see the Fish Prince coming, throw the first at him. If it hits him he will sink to the bottom of the tank. When he rises to the surface again, hit him with the second, and the same thing will happen. The third time, throw the last pebble at him, and he will change from a fish into a handsome young prince.

Alia: Oh! So, it means that he isn't really a fish?

Seven-Headed-Cobra: He is the son of a King and is under an enchantment by his evil brother and sister-in-law. But you can break the enchantment in the way I have told you.

Alia: Oh, thank you, my dear friend!

And so, Alia dried her tears and went away with the minister the next day, to th palace, where they showed her a beautiful little room that had been prepared for her near the tank.

Queen: You are just the dear little wife I want for my son.

Alia would have been quite happy, for everyone was very kind to her if it had not been for the thought of the cold dark water, and her fear that she might not be able to hit the Fish Prince with the pebbles. But she let them put her into the room, where she sat down and waited for a long time, with the pebbles in her hand. People watched in anticipation as they all thought that the Fish Prince would rise up and devour the poor maiden. But nothing as such happened, and the Fish Prince did not come up to the surface even once. Tired of waiting, everyone left...and then came the cold, dark, night. everything was quiet, and only the sound of the crickets chirping could be heard, when suddenly, there was a sound of rushing water and of waves dashing against the tank. Alia looked in fear and there was a huge fish rising up to the surface and swimming towards her with its mouth wide open! Trembling from head to foot with fright, Alia threw the first pebble, which went right down the Fish Prince's throat. He sunk like a stone at once...but just as a minute or two, passed, he came up to the surface again. Then Alia threw the second pebble, which hit the Fish Prince on the head, and he sunk the second time. This time the Fish Prince did not come up to the surface for quite some time...but when he did, he roared in anger, and charged furiously towards Alia. Alia was so nervous that she nearly missed hitting him with the third pebble, for it only touched the tip of his fin. This time the Fish Prince did not sink but changed into a handsome prince.

Fish prince: You...you have broken my enchantment!

Alia: Oh! I am so glad that you are not a fish anymore!

Fish Prince: Haha. And I am so glad that you are not hurt. Let's step out. We can enjoy sunshine and happiness in the world outside, and need not live in a tank any longer.

And so, as the sun rose, bringing with it a new day, a new love story began. The Prince, Handsome and dressed in gold, took Alia by her hand and went to speak with the Queen. The Queen upon hearing the story of the Prince was delighted and hugged him.

Queen: It Didn't matter to me when you were a fish, for you were my son then, and you are my son now.

Fish Prince: Thank you, mother! Thank you for everything!

And so, the King and the Queen blessed the Prince and Alia. A grand wedding was held and Princes and Princesses all over the world were invited; and what was written on the welcome signboard, you ask?

The Fish Prince weds the Mermaid of his dreams. Oh, and they lived happily ever after.

THE END.

Thank you!!!!