The Golden Opportunity

A very good morning to the honorable judges, teachers and friends. Today, I am going to tell you a
story entitled The Golden Opportunity.

In a village not far from the sea, there lived an old fisherman and his wife.They lived in a small
hut and they often went to bed hungry.

One day, while at sea, the fisherman caught a small gold fish. He was surprised when the fish
began to talk to him. "Let me go.. Please let me go back to the sea again. I will grant you your
wish." The fish begged. Out of pity, the fisherman said. "I want nothing from you." He released
the fish back into the sea.

When he returned home, he told his wife about the talking fish. His wife was furious. "You could
have at least asked for some bread," his wife shouted. Feeling frustrated, the old man went back to
the sea.

He called out, "Gold fish, gold fish, if you can hear me, please speak to me." The gold fish
appeared before him. "Yes, what do you need?" It asked. The fisherman explained. "My wife is
angry with me for not asking anything in return. She wants some bread." The gold fish said,
"Go home. Your wish will be granted."

The fisherman went back home. His wife was happy because she had some bread to eat. The next
day, "Now go back and ask for a better house and better cloths for us," said the wife. He went
back to the sea. Once again, the fish fulfilled his wish. The fisherman's wife was very happy with
their new lifestyle.

Days passed. She became greedier. "Go to the fish and ask for a mansion, expensive cloths
and diamonds," she ordered. "But ............................................. we already have a better
lifestyle. So let us just enjoy these good moments," he pleaded.

But his wife wanted more lavish things. So the fisherman went to the sea and called upon the
fish again. "My wife is still not pleased and she won't let me haveany peace," he cried.
 The gold fish said, "Please do not be sad. Just go back home and you will get whatever you
want." When he got back home, the fisherman found his wife jumping with joy. But a few months
later, she became restless again. “I’m tired of this simple life. I want to be the Queen “, she said.

Reluctantly, the fisherman went back to the sea and met the gold fish. When the fisherman returned
home, he was shocked to see a big castle and his wife dressed like a queen. However, over some
time she was tired being a queen.

"Go to the gold fish and ask him to make me the queen of the sea," she ordered her husband. Left
with no choice, once again the fisherman went to the sea and called out to the fish. But this time,
the gold fish did not appear. The fisherman returnedhome empty-handed.

When he arrived near his house, he was shocked. The castle had disappeared. His old hut was
in its place. Inside the hut, he found his wife in her old tagged cloths.They became poor again.

The fisherman's wife learned a bitter lesson. She wept and wept for days. "I should have been
happy with what I had. As for the old man, he had to go back tofishing to make a living.

Dear friends, don't be greedy and ask for too much because greed will only bring you pain and
disgrace.

Thank you.