Chapter 119 118. Shiny Fish

There was a good old man whose sons were all dead.Now, he doesn't know how he and his wife will live on, because his wife is also getting old and sick.Every day, he went to the woods to collect firewood, then sold the firewood, bought bread, and just made do with it. One day he was walking and humming in the woods when he met a gentleman with a long beard."I know you're having a hard time and I'd love to help you. This is a wallet with a hundred ducats in it," said the gentleman. The old man passed out after taking the wallet.When he woke up, the gentleman had disappeared.The old man went home and hid the hundred ducats under a pile of manure without mentioning it to his wife. "If I give her the money, the money will be spent within a few days..." The next day, he went to the woods to collect firewood as usual.

That night, when he saw the table full of good wine and food, he became alarmed and asked his wife, "How did you get these things? Where did you get the money?" "I sold that compost pile," replied the wife. "Bastard! There's a hundred ducats hidden in there!" The next day, the old man sighed while walking in the woods.At this time, he met the gentleman with the long beard again. "I know you're out of luck," said the gentleman, "don't be sad, I'll give you another hundred ducats." This time, the old man hid the money in a pile of ashes.The next day, his wife sold the pile of ashes and bought a table full of delicious food and wine.When the old man came home, he didn't eat anything when he saw this scene, and threw himself on the bed, pulling his hair in anger.

The next morning, while he was crying in the woods, the gentleman came again. "I won't give you any money this time. Sell these twenty-four frogs, and use the money to buy a fish—the biggest fish." The old man sold the frog and bought a fish.At night, he found that the fish shone brightly, illuminating the surroundings with its intense light; holding it was like carrying a lantern.At night, he hangs the fish out of the window, which keeps the fish fresh.It was a pitch black night with heavy wind and rain. The fishermen who went out to sea couldn't tell their course in the wind and waves.They saw the light outside the old man's window, sailed towards this light, and returned safely.They gave the old man half of the fish they caught, and made an agreement with him: If he hangs this fish out of the window every night, they will make five of the fish caught at night, and share it equally with him.Later, they did just that.Since then, the old man has never suffered again.

(Abruzzi region)