“We will think about that,” said his wife, “and sleep upon it.”
With that they went to bed.
Next morning the wife woke up first; day was just dawning, and from her bed she could see the beautiful country around her. Her husband was still asleep, but she pushed him with her elbow, and said: “Husband, get up and peep out of the window. See here, now, could we not be king over all this land? Go to the flounder. We will be king.”
“Alas, wife,” said the man, “what should we be king for? I don’t want to be king.”
“Ah,” said his wife, “if thou wilt not be king, I will. Go to the flounder. I will be king.”
“Alas, wife,” said the man, “whatever dost thou want to be king for? I don’t like to tell him.”
“Why not?” said the woman. “Go thou must. I will be king.”
So the man went; but he was quite sad because his wife would be king.
“It is not right,” he said; “it is not right.”
When he reached the sea, he found it dark, gray, and rough, and evil-smelling. He stood there and said: