An old fairy tale retold in rhymes

In a landscape full of dunes,

And not so distant from the sea,

There once lived a dwarfish couple,

By the name of "Piggelmee."

They were tiny little people

And they lived – 'twas all they got,

Because they didn't own a house –

In an ancient Cologne pot.

As a shelter for the sunshine,

Or when rain should come to land,

They had put this earthen pot

Upside down into the sand.

A little hole, that was their door,

They'd cast it in with all their might,

So that their little dwarfish bodies

Could easily crawl inside.

The woman, she prepared the food,

At least, if there was any there.

The little man went out to hunt,

To shoot a rabbit or a hare.

He had a tiny little rifle,

With which he shot, this little gnome,

And as soon as he shot his rabbit,

His wooden shoes took him straight home.

Though their housing wasn't rich,

They still enjoyed their life a lot,

And lived for many happy years,

In their topsy-turvy pot.

Who could guess what happened next?

Tidings of the unexpected,

Always come along your door,

When you least expect it.

One lovely summer morning,

In the Dwarf's Gazette, for sure,

They read a magic little fish,

Had arrived upon their shore.

The magic fish swam up and down

The salty waves and sandy bay;

He can give you all you wish for,

If you ask him in a humble way.

That morning, in the old pot,

It became very quiet indeed,

As both dwarf s sadly thought,

How much they were in need.

Asking humbly ... get it all ...

Everything, and just be meek.

A little fish that could work magic …

Magic? ... "My husband, did you speak?"

"Who? Me? No!" – "Would you

Dare to go visit the fish?"

"My dearest Wife, I would.

I will go and make a wish."

"And ... what would you wish for,

If you met the fish for sure?"

"I would ask him for a little house,

With a chimney, roof and door."

"Just imagine: a real cottage.

Dare you ask him, my brave spouse?

Real estate with a real door ... oh!

Dare you ask him for a house?"

"Me living in a house, I say.

Who would have thought, oh boy!"

She said as in a dream,

While her eyes glistened with joy.

The next morning, very early,

There he went, brave Piggelmee,

Clumping in his wooden shoes,

Through the dunes towards the sea.

"Magic fish!" he calledfromfar,

And his voice was loud and clear.

"Fish, I' d like to talk to you;

Oh, are you somewhere near?"

Suddenly, he heard an answer,

From the wide and open sea.

A soft and silvery voice replied,

"Did you call me, Piggelmee?"

"I did, I did," the small dwarf shouted,

While jumping up and down a lot.

"Please, magic fish, give me a house,

Instead of an ancient Cologne pot."

"Go home, go home!" the fish called out;

"I grant your wish with all due care.

Run home in haste, my dwarfish friend,

Because your dwelling is already there."

Without a thanks, the dwarf returned,

Which wasn't very kind;

And instead a piece of earthenware,

A cosy cottage did he find.

Out of a window, the woman waved.

She was as happy as could be.

"Piggelmee! Who would have thought?

A lovely house for you and me!"

Piggelmee was flabbergasted.

This was a house fit for a gnome!

Just like a well-raised gentleman

He wanted to enter his home.

But instead his wife came out.

"This house is nice and all," she said,

"But still you would be disappointed,

For many things are lacking yet."

"Please return to the sea once more,

And call the fish with all your might,

Because what good is such a cottage

With no furniture inside?"

"Ask the fish for seats and sofas,

A clock, a table and a bed,

Ask for curtains in the windows

And a kitchen sink," she said.

"There is more, so walk along now;

I need more things, I'm telling you.

I need a mirror and a sideboard,

And I need a cupboard too."

With a cheerful whistle he went back,

Our little dwarf called Piggelmee.

He walked to the beach and called from far,

"Can you hear me, magic fish in the sea?"

There was no answer, nothing moved,

In the sea nor in the air,

Except for a lonely albatross,

Who did not listen, did not care.

Finally, there was that voice again,

Soft and silvery from the open sea.

"Did you call me again, my little man?

Did you call me, little Piggelmee?"

"Yes, I did!" the dwarf said, pleased.

"I thank you for the wish you granted,

But there is more, like chairs and a bed,

And other furniture we wanted. "

"Go home, go home!" the fish called out;

"I grant your wish with all due care.

Run home in haste, my dwarfish friend,

Your furniture is already there. "

Returning home, our little dwarf saw,

His wife working like never before.

While she polished the furniture,

She gave him some orders once more.

"Husband, please, go back again,

So the fish can make me really glad.

Let him give me proper clothes,

And some mantles and a hat."

"Ask for yourself some decent shoes,

Because-and this is commonly known You

can't walk around in wooden shoes

In a tidy cottage like our own."

Although he started to get tired now,

He turned around, dwarf Piggelmee,

And clumping in his wooden shoes,

Went back to the fish in the sea.

He did not mind to cross the dunes,

But now it started to get dull.

Right above him flew the albatross,

Who got company from a gull.

"Magic fish!" he called from far,

"It's not really my idea, you see,

To return and ask for more,

But my wife is forcing me."

"See, she wants to have more clothes,

And some mantles and a hat,

And a decent pair of shoes for me;

The fish, she said, can give us that. "

"All right!" the magic fish replied,

"I know how women have their way;

Now go on home as fast you can,

To see that everything's okay."

When the dwarf arrived at home,

His wife looked, fully dressed,

In admiration in the mirror.

"I am so sorry now," she stressed,

"But you'll have to go back again.

I can't go out, I am afraid,

Without someone taking care of things.

Piggelmee, we need a maid!"

"Go and tell the magic fish,

That I can't cope here on my own;

Or do I have to cook and bake,

And scrub here all alone?"

For the first time now, the little dwarf

Looked at his wife in sheer dismay,

But still – oh well – went on his way;

He did not dare a thing to say.

On his way he kept on thinking

How happy they had been before.

And now ... they were most fortunate,

But ... he didn't whistle anymore.

"Magic fish," he called from far,

"Magic fish here in the sea!"

"Are you calling again?" the fish asked,

"Are you calling, Piggelmee?"

"I am. My wife would like some help,"

Said Piggelmee, a bit afraid.

"She wants some help around the house;

That's why I'm asking for a maid."

Since the fish kept silent for a while,

The dwarf feared he was gone,

But then a voice came from the sea,

"I expected so, my little one."

"Go home, and you will find

That everything is neat and clean,

Thanks to a maid, a little dwarf,

As tidy as you've never seen."

Piggelmee, though tired of walking,

Longed for home, so home he went.

Halfway home he met his wife,

Who looked at him in discontent.

"You need to go back this instant,

Because the situation just got worse:

I went shopping, only to discover

There's not a penny in my purse."

"Go ask the fish another favour,

A bag of money is what I need.

I have to pay the maid, don't I?

After this, you may rest your feet."

To visit the magic fish once more,

The dwarf returned with leaden pace.

Meanwhile, it was getting late;

The beach became a desolate place.

A sneaking weasel startled him.

All animals – to him – looked tall,

Not because they were so big,

But because he was so small.

"Magic fish," he called from far,

"Magic fish here in the sea!"

"You called?" a cheerful voice replied,

"You called, friend Piggelmee?"

"I did!" replied the dwarf relieved:

"Yes, my wife sends me once more;

She has to pay the maid, you see,

And wants to buy things in a store. "

"As far as our house is concerned

We've got everything we need,

But according to my dearest wife,

It's money we lack, indeed."

"Go home!" the fish suddenly said.

"I grant your wish with all due care.

I should have known you needed money.

Now go home, it is already there."

Now the fish vanished into the deep.

The dwarf went home, the sun went down.

His wife counted the money from the bag,

While sitting in her dressing gown.

The next day, it was very cosy

In the dwelling of the gnome.

Piggelmee, who used to hunt all day,

Instead now drank his coffee home.

"This coffee doesn't taste so good;

We drank this when we were poor.

Now that we are rich," said Piggelmee,

"We need not drink this anymore."

"The maid tried to buy a better brand,

But she did not succeed.

Perhaps you could ask the magic fish

What kind of coffee we do need."

"That's a good idea," the dwarf replied.

On his leather shoes, as proud as can be,

Piggelmee strolled towards the shore

Where he called the magic fish in the sea.

"I'm not here to beg, just for your advice.

Which coffee is better than the rest?"

A silvery snout surfaced from the water

and said: "Van Nelle [1] coffee is the best."

The maid bought the coffee and indeed,

There was no better; the fish was right.

The dwarves could not think of a better life.

And seemed forever satisfied.

Alas, nothing seems to last forever,

Not even satisfaction, that's for sure.

People always wish for something new;

They long for better, best, and more.

Now ... several months have passed,

And we see our friend Piggelmee

Strolling on a daily basis,

To the magic fish in the sea.

He was always sent out by his wife;

There was always something to complain.

Slowly her dissatisfaction

Drove our little dwarf insane.

Then the bread did not taste right,

Then the milk had turned bad ....

She always sent him out for advice,

And ... the fish did not even get mad.

One cold morning, he had to go again

To the magic fish in the sea,

To ask him if he knew better coffee

Than Van Nelle, poor Piggelmee.

"I really did not want to come,

I'd rather stayed in bed,

But my wife wants better coffee

Than Van Nelle, now, don't get mad."

The waves turned black, the water boiled.

"Here's a message your Wife can't miss,"

The magic fish replied in anger.

"Van Nelle is the best there is!

I'm sorry for you, but I punish your wife

For being discontented and greedy.

Go back now and behold your new state.

You'll again be poor and needy."

The magic fish vanished into the water,

The sea turned calm and blue once more.

Piggelmee was afraid to go home,

But as the sun set, he left the shore.

Like a beaten dog he walked back home,

Slowly he felt his limbs grow weak.

A partridge flew into the sky

With a horrifying shriek.

Slower and slower he walked.

Each shoe seemed to weigh a ton,

More than his wooden shoes ever weighed,

In the good old days bygone.

Once home, he looked around

Disappointed – and so he should! –

For the ancient Cologne pot returned

Where once the cosy cottage stood.

His wife sat outside and cried,

"It is ill fate, oh Piggelmee,

That we now have to live again

In this old pot-don't you agree?"

"Oh, and I would not complain

As long as I have you, my sweet,

And a few cups of coffee a day.

This is such a cruel defeat."

After a night of little sleep,

Shaking for cold and deep remorse,

Piggelmee visited the fish again,

To ask for one last thing, of course.

"Magic fish," Piggelmee called out:

"Would you please hear my apology?

Would you come to the surface

And, for one more time, listen to me?"

"My wife is conscious of her guilt;

Her wishes were not very wise.

She is sitting in the ancient pot now

And she is crying out her eyes."

"One thing could console her though,

One small gift could make her dance:

A package of Van Nelle coffee.

Would you give her that last chance?"

"Dear fellow," spoke the magic fish.

"All I do, I do for you.

I care not for your wife: she's greedy,

And she is ungrateful, too."

"I wish to grant you a little comfort;

That is because for you I care.

So go on home, my dearest dwarf,

For your coffee is already there."

As he approached his ancient house,

He already smelled that familiar scent

Of fresh coffee that made Piggelmee

And his wife feel most content.

The dwarfs accepted their fate,

Soon filling the room with laughter,

While drinking little cups of coffee,

And living happily ever after.