The Legend of the Golden Fish

Along the shores of Hạ Long Bay, where limestone islands rise like ancient dragons from emerald waters, there lived a poor fisherman named Tam who worked hard every day just to catch enough fish to feed his family. He lived in a simple bamboo house with his wife Mai and their young son Bé, grateful for their modest life even though they often struggled to make ends meet.

Tam was known throughout the fishing village for his honesty and kindness. When other fishermen had bad luck and caught nothing, Tam would always share part of his catch so no family would go hungry. When storms damaged neighbors’ boats, he would help with repairs even when his own boat needed attention.

One misty morning, as Tam cast his nets in waters he had never fished before, he felt something unusual pulling at his line. The weight was different from any fish he had ever caught – heavier, but also somehow alive with strange energy.

When he pulled in his net, Tam gasped in amazement. Inside was a fish unlike any he had ever seen. Its scales were pure gold that seemed to shine with inner light, its eyes were like sapphires, and it was easily the most beautiful creature he had ever beheld.

But even more amazing than its appearance was the fact that the fish spoke to him in a clear, melodious voice.

“Please, kind fisherman,” the golden fish said, “release me back to the sea, and I will grant you three wishes in return for my freedom.”

Tam’s heart raced with excitement, but also with uncertainty. Three wishes could change his family’s life forever. They could have a bigger house, a better boat, enough money to ensure their son received a good education.

But as he looked into the fish’s sapphire eyes, Tam felt a deep sense of compassion. The creature was clearly magical and extraordinary – perhaps even sacred. What right did he have to keep such a being captive, even for the promise of wishes?

“Noble fish,” Tam said gently, “I don’t need wishes to know that keeping you prisoner would be wrong. You belong in the sea, free to swim where you will.”

Without hesitation, he carefully lifted the golden fish and placed it back in the water. The fish circled once around his boat, its golden scales creating ripples of light in the sea.

“Your kindness touches my heart, fisherman,” the golden fish said. “Few humans would release such a prize without claiming their reward. Because you have shown such pure compassion, I will grant you three wishes anyway, but I offer them freely rather than as payment for my freedom.”

Tam was deeply moved by the fish’s generosity. He thought carefully about what would truly make his family happy and secure.

“For my first wish,” he said, “I would like our little house to be stronger and more comfortable, so my family will be safe during storms and have enough space to live with dignity.”

The golden fish nodded approvingly. “A wish for family welfare shows wisdom. It is granted.”

“For my second wish, I would like my fishing nets to always catch enough fish to feed my family and have some left over to share with neighbors who are struggling.”

“A wish that includes helping others shows a generous heart,” the fish observed. “This too is granted.”

Tam paused before making his third wish, understanding that this was a precious opportunity that should not be wasted.

“For my third wish,” he said finally, “I wish for my son to grow up healthy, intelligent, and kind, so that he may lead a good life and help make the world a better place.”

The golden fish smiled, if a fish can be said to smile. “A wish for the next generation shows true wisdom. All three of your wishes are granted. But remember, fisherman – true happiness comes not from getting everything you want, but from appreciating what you have and using it to help others.”

With those words, the golden fish disappeared beneath the waves, leaving behind only a trail of golden light in the water.

When Tam returned home that evening, he was amazed to find that his humble bamboo house had been transformed into a sturdy, comfortable home made of fine wood, with a solid roof and spacious rooms. His wife Mai was overjoyed, especially when she discovered that their small vegetable garden had become lush and productive.

From that day forward, Tam’s nets were always full of fish – never too many to be greedy, but always enough to feed his family well and share with others. His reputation as a generous neighbor grew, and their home became a gathering place where people shared meals and helped each other through difficult times.

Their son Bé grew up healthy and bright, showing both intelligence and kindness that made his parents proud. The boy seemed to have an natural wisdom that went beyond his years, and neighbors often came to the family for advice on various matters.

Years passed peacefully and prosperously for Tam’s family. But word of their good fortune eventually reached the ears of a greedy mandarin named Lord Tham, who ruled over several coastal villages with an iron fist.

Lord Tham summoned Tam to his palace and demanded to know the secret of the fisherman’s success.

“I have heard that you somehow transformed your hovel into a fine house and that your nets are always full,” the mandarin said suspiciously. “No ordinary fisherman could achieve such prosperity. Tell me how you did it.”

Tam, being honest by nature, told the whole story of the golden fish and the three wishes. But he emphasized the importance of the fish’s message about contentment and generosity.

Lord Tham’s eyes gleamed with greed. “So there is a magical fish in these waters that grants wishes! You will take me to the exact spot where you found it, and I will catch it myself.”

“Honored lord,” Tam said respectfully, “I don’t think the fish can be found by someone who seeks it. It appeared to me when I was simply doing my daily work, with no thought of magic or wishes.”

“Nonsense!” Lord Tham snapped. “Magic is power, and power belongs to those strong enough to seize it. You will guide me to that fish, or face severe punishment.”

Reluctantly, Tam agreed to take the mandarin to the waters where he had encountered the golden fish. Lord Tham brought his finest boat, his most expensive nets, and a crew of his best fishermen.

For days, they searched the waters around Hạ Long Bay. Lord Tham ordered his men to catch every fish they saw, hoping to find the magical one among them. But day after day, they found only ordinary fish.

Growing increasingly frustrated, Lord Tham began threatening and bribing local fishermen, demanding they tell him where the golden fish could be found. But none had ever seen such a creature.

Finally, on the seventh day of searching, something extraordinary happened. As Lord Tham cast his own net into the water while cursing the fish for not appearing, a familiar golden gleam caught his eye.

The golden fish had indeed appeared, but it looked different than when Tam had found it. Its golden scales seemed darker, its sapphire eyes held a stern expression, and its voice, when it spoke, carried a note of warning.

“So,” the fish said, regarding Lord Tham with disappointment, “you seek me out of greed rather than discovering me through honest work. Very well. I will grant you three wishes, as is my nature. But be warned – wishes made with greed in the heart often bring consequences the wisher does not expect.”

Lord Tham ignored the warning, his mind already racing with ambitious plans.

“For my first wish,” he declared, “I want a palace ten times larger and more magnificent than any in Vietnam, with treasures beyond counting.”

“Granted,” the fish said simply.

“For my second wish, I want dominion over all the coastal provinces, with armies that will obey my every command.”

“Granted,” the fish repeated, though its expression grew more serious.

“And for my third wish,” Lord Tham continued, drunk with the prospect of unlimited power, “I want to be feared and obeyed by everyone in the land, so that no one will ever dare to oppose me.”

“Granted,” the golden fish said one final time. “But remember, you have chosen these wishes freely, and you must live with their consequences.”

The fish disappeared, and Lord Tham rushed back to shore, eager to see his new palace and power.

Indeed, he found that his wishes had been granted exactly as requested. A magnificent palace had appeared, larger and more opulent than any in the land. His armies had grown vast and powerful, and his dominion extended over all the coastal regions.

But Lord Tham soon discovered the hidden costs of his wishes. The magnificent palace was so enormous that he felt lost and lonely within its countless empty rooms. The treasures were so vast that he could never properly enjoy or even catalog them all.

His expanded armies required enormous resources to maintain, eating up his wealth faster than he could collect taxes. The provinces under his dominion were so extensive that he could never visit them all, much less govern them effectively.

Most troubling of all, his third wish proved to be a curse in disguise. While everyone indeed feared him, fear had driven away all genuine friendship and loyalty. His subjects obeyed him only out of terror, and he lived in constant paranoia, surrounded by people who secretly hated him and might betray him at any moment.

Lord Tham realized too late that he had gained everything he thought he wanted but lost everything that truly mattered – peace, friendship, trust, and contentment. His palace became a prison, his power became a burden, and his wealth became meaningless when he had no one to share it with genuinely.

Meanwhile, Tam continued to live happily with his family in their comfortable but modest home. His son Bé grew up to become a respected teacher and leader in the community, always remembering the lessons his father had taught him about contentment, generosity, and the true sources of happiness.

On quiet evenings, Tam would sometimes see a flash of gold in the waters near his home, and he would nod respectfully toward the sea, grateful not just for the wishes that had been granted, but for the wisdom that had been shared along with them.

The golden fish still swims in the waters of Hạ Long Bay, appearing to fishermen when they least expect it but most need its guidance. And the fish’s message remains the same: true wealth lies not in getting everything you want, but in wanting what you have and using it to help others.

Vietnamese Cultural Note: This story reflects Vietnamese Buddhist and Confucian values about contentment and the dangers of excessive desire. The setting in Hạ Long Bay connects to the spiritual significance of this UNESCO World Heritage site, considered sacred in Vietnamese culture.