Destination: Krakow, Poland

According to Alexander Pushkin’s fairy tale, there was once a poor fisherman living in a small hut by the sea. One day, the fisherman caught a golden fish. The fish pleaded for its life, promising any wish in return. Unsure what to do, the old man told his wife about the golden fish. Quickly she demanded that he ask the fish for a new water trough. The fish happily granted their small request. The next day, she asked for a new house. Again her wish was granted. Overcome with greed, she asked to upgrade her house to a palace. Her wishes became greater and greater, asking to become a noble lady, the ruler of her province and then the tsarina. Finally she demanded to become the Ruler of the Sea. As the man went to ask for each item, the sea became stormier and stormier until, at the last request, the man could hardly hear himself think. Finally the golden fish, exhausted by the woman’s insatiable greed, took away all her wishes and swam away, leaving the couple back in their old hut with their broken trough.  

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