“They are just like any other fish,” cried the woman, “only they look a little different, that’s all.”
“And for that very reason thou wilt take them to the king. He will pay us well for them; we should not be able to use them.”
“Oh, thou couldst soon do away with them,” replied his wife, “but that’s why I’ll take them to the king; besides, we are up to our ears in fish.”
After dinner the fisherman’s wife hurried to the king with the fish. When she came to the palace, she asked the first man she met where the king was, but got as answer: “I don’t keep the king!” She went farther, making confusion everywhere until all the servants came together, but no one said anything to her. At last she reached the guard who stood before the king’s chamber; she wanted to go without ceremony to his Kingly Grace. The guard pushed her back sharply, but the fishwoman did not retreat so easily; she tried once more to break through the guards, but this time she was repulsed. One of the guards, as firm as a rock, and with as much hair on his face as a bear, caught her by the hand and pulled her so roughly that she almost fell to the floor. She screamed that they were killing her, and roused the whole palace; even the king came. She turned straight to him and cried out over the heads of the men: “Royal Grace, I am bringing fish, and these bears won’t let me in.”
The king, who was in good humor that day, beckoned her to come. “What kind of fish, and how many?” asked he when she approached.
“Royal Grace, only three, but so wonderful that I have not seen such as long as I live.” With that she took a fish from the basket and handed it to the king.
“Wonderful, indeed,” said the king, “but give them not to me, give them to my cook; and here is to thee for the road,” giving her a handful of goldpieces.
The fishwoman, when she saw so much money, fell at the king’s feet, and came near throwing him down; but he didn’t mind. Then she took the fish to the kitchen, and ran headlong home.
After she had gone the king went to the kitchen, looked at one of the fish, and said to the cook: “Thou must dress these fish in a special manner, and answer with thy head for the cooking.”
“Royal Grace, in what manner?” asked the cook, trembling with terror when he heard of his head; for though he was a great hero at cutting off heads, he trembled like an aspen when his own head was in question.