PLOT SYNOPSIS
An average fisherman catches a magic fish, who speaks to him. The fisherman lets the fish go, and is so nice he doesn't even ask for a wish. But the fish tells him he can have a wish any time he wants--all he has to do is call. On his way home, he meets a woman who is hungry because her garden will not grow. At her request, he goes back to the water. He tries out several ways to call the fish, and one of them finally works. The fish gladly grants the wish for "a plentiful garden"; but as soon as she does, she feels a twinge of pain.
The fisherman begins home again. He is confronted by a large monster with a head made of food and a body of empty shelves. This is what has become of the poor woman who made the small request. She wanted so badly to grow food for everyone, that she overused her land, used dangerous fertilizers, and it died.
The fisherman continues on his way. He meets a man who wants shelter, a house to keep him warm and dry. This seems reasonable, so the fisherman goes back to the water, and calls for the fish. The fish appears, not looking as well as she did before. She grants the wish, and when the fisherman goes on his way, he meets Mr. Shelter again--this time as a monster-puppet made of cityscapes and homeless people. The gift of a home has been given to so many people that no one can have one that's comfortable.
Like so many folktales, the pattern continues. The fisherman meets Mr. Sanitation, who just wants indoor plumbing, so his home and property can be clean and healthy. When the fisherman meets the fish this time, she is weak and sick, for reasons she does not know--but we do. After she grants the wish, Mr. Sanitation reappears, as a large toilet that wastes water and flushes all sorts of dangerous pollutants down to the home of the magic fish.
Next Mr. Transportation enters, his feet hurting. He wants some kind of car so he can see his family and get to work. He and the fisherman go to the water together this time--and this time the fish is very sick. She is so sick that all she can give Mr. Transportation is a small car. When Mr. T. approaches it, however, he is sucked inside, and the car goes racing around the countryside, spewing air pollution and declaring the delights of ashphalt, rather than grass.
The fisherman is very depressed. Every wish he asks for turns out to be a bad thing for the environment, and for the magic fish. He is feeling sorry for himself, when he meets a small girl crying. She is lonely and frightened and sad, and wants something to help comfort her. The fisherman wants to wish for this, thinking that no harm can come of it. This, too, goes all wrong. The wish for a toy turns into a monstrosity of broken toys thrown out and replaced. The little girl has turned into a litterbug of toys.
The fisherman is at his wit's end. The magic fish is very sick, and all these monsters he has created frighten him. At this point Mr. Security enters, telling him he should wish for protection from these monsters. When the fisherman gives in, the fish gives him this one last wish--and then dies. The result of the wish is just as frightening as the monsters, and the fisherman has no idea what to do next.
The fisherman asks the narrator for help. The two of them ask the audience for help. Even the puppets are asked for help. And everyone works together (more correctly, yells together) for the fish to come back to life. And she does. She is still sick, but she is alive. The monsters tell the fisherman to make wishes for the fish, but he will not do it. He goes off the find out how to make the fish well the old-fashioned way--by learning.
The fisherman begins home again. He is confronted by a large monster with a head made of food and a body of empty shelves. This is what has become of the poor woman who made the small request. She wanted so badly to grow food for everyone, that she overused her land, used dangerous fertilizers, and it died.
The fisherman continues on his way. He meets a man who wants shelter, a house to keep him warm and dry. This seems reasonable, so the fisherman goes back to the water, and calls for the fish. The fish appears, not looking as well as she did before. She grants the wish, and when the fisherman goes on his way, he meets Mr. Shelter again--this time as a monster-puppet made of cityscapes and homeless people. The gift of a home has been given to so many people that no one can have one that's comfortable.
Like so many folktales, the pattern continues. The fisherman meets Mr. Sanitation, who just wants indoor plumbing, so his home and property can be clean and healthy. When the fisherman meets the fish this time, she is weak and sick, for reasons she does not know--but we do. After she grants the wish, Mr. Sanitation reappears, as a large toilet that wastes water and flushes all sorts of dangerous pollutants down to the home of the magic fish.
Next Mr. Transportation enters, his feet hurting. He wants some kind of car so he can see his family and get to work. He and the fisherman go to the water together this time--and this time the fish is very sick. She is so sick that all she can give Mr. Transportation is a small car. When Mr. T. approaches it, however, he is sucked inside, and the car goes racing around the countryside, spewing air pollution and declaring the delights of ashphalt, rather than grass.
The fisherman is very depressed. Every wish he asks for turns out to be a bad thing for the environment, and for the magic fish. He is feeling sorry for himself, when he meets a small girl crying. She is lonely and frightened and sad, and wants something to help comfort her. The fisherman wants to wish for this, thinking that no harm can come of it. This, too, goes all wrong. The wish for a toy turns into a monstrosity of broken toys thrown out and replaced. The little girl has turned into a litterbug of toys.
The fisherman is at his wit's end. The magic fish is very sick, and all these monsters he has created frighten him. At this point Mr. Security enters, telling him he should wish for protection from these monsters. When the fisherman gives in, the fish gives him this one last wish--and then dies. The result of the wish is just as frightening as the monsters, and the fisherman has no idea what to do next.
The fisherman asks the narrator for help. The two of them ask the audience for help. Even the puppets are asked for help. And everyone works together (more correctly, yells together) for the fish to come back to life. And she does. She is still sick, but she is alive. The monsters tell the fisherman to make wishes for the fish, but he will not do it. He goes off the find out how to make the fish well the old-fashioned way--by learning.