Hebrews 13.5 ~ season of our discontent

A dramatisation of one of my favourite stories, for a school assembly. It says something about being grateful and contented with what we have!

Narrator:            There once was a fisherman and his wife who lived together in a little hut

                        close to the sea and the fisherman used to go down every day to fish.  He

                        would sit there and gaze into the shining water.  On day he caught a very

                        large fish indeed and he was surprised when the fish spoke to him.

Fish:                 Pray let me go, I am not a real fish but an enchanted prince.  Please put me                      back in the water and let me swim away.

Narrator:            So he put the fish back into the shimmering water and it swam away so the                       fisherman got up and went home to his wife in the hut.

Wife:                 Well husband have you caught nothing today?

Husband:       Yes I caught a magic fish who said he was an enchanted prince so I let him go.

Wife:                 You stupid man did you not ask him for anything?

Husband:          What should I have asked him for?

Wife:                 Go and tell that fish I want a cottage - go at once.

Narrator:            So the fisherman returned to the sea and shouted

Husband:          Oh fish of the sea, oh fish of the sea, come listen to me, come for my wife

                        Isabel wishes what I dare not tell.

Fish:                 Well what does she want?

Husband:          She wants a nice cottage.

Fish:                 Go home, she has it already.

Narrator:            So the man went home and there was his wife in a cottage which was very                         well furnished.  It had a tiny garden with a stream nearby.

Husband:          Now isn’t that nice, what more could we want?

Wife:                 More?  I want a stone castle, this is too small!  Go and tell that fish I want a                       castle.  Go at once.

Narrator:            So the fisherman returned to the sea and shouted

Husband:          Oh fish of the sea, oh fish of the sea, come listen to me, come for my wife

                        Isabel wishes what I dare not tell.

Fish:                 Well, what does she want now?

Husband:          She wants to live in a stone castle.

Fish:                 Go home she has it already.

Narrator:            So the man went home and there was his wife in a grand stone castle

                        surrounded by servants.  Inside were crystal chandeliers, gilded chairs and

                        table.  There was a beautiful garden, there were stags and deer and hares,

                        everything one could wish for!

Husband:          Now wife, isn’t this nice, what more could we want?

Wife:                 More?  I want to be a queen and live in a big palace, this stone castle is too                       cold and too small.  Go and tell that fish I will be queen and live in a palace                  Go at once!

Narrator:            So the fisherman returned to the sea and shouted

Husband:          Oh fish of the sea, oh fish of the sea, come listen to me, come for my wife

                        Isabel wishes what I dare not tell.

Fish:                 What does she want now?

Husband:          She wants to be queen, she wants to live in a big palace.

Fish:                 Go home she has it already.

Narrator:            So the fisherman went home and found his wife in a large palace with

                        guards outside.  She was sitting on a high throne of gold and diamonds.  She                     wore a golden crown and carried an orb and sceptre of gold.

Husband:          Now wife this is nice, what more could we want?

Wife:                 More?  I am going to be Pope.  I will be Pope.  Go back and tell the fish.

                        Go at once.

Narrator:            So the fisherman returned to the sea and shouted

Husband:          Oh fish of the sea, oh fish of the sea, come listen to me, come for my wife

                        Isabel wishes what I dare not tell.

Fish:                 Well what does she want now?                          

Husband:          Oh dear ………. She…….wants to be the Pope

Fish:                 Go home, she is that already.

Narrator:            Then he went home and he saw a large church surrounded by palaces. 

                        He saw thousands and thousands of candles and his wife was dressed

                        in a cloth of gold and she wore three gold crowns.  Many people knelt

                        at her feet, some of them kings and emperors.  The fisherman stared

                        at her as if he were looking at the bright sun and said.

Husband:          Oh wife let it be enough now that you are Pope.

Wife:                 We will think about that.

Narrator:            With these words they went to bed but the fisherman’s wife could not

                        sleep.  All night long she tossed and turned.  Then the sun began to rise

                        and she sat up and cried out!

Wife:                 I will make the sun rise…..Husband wake up - I will be God!

Husband:          What did you say wife?

Wife:                 I will be God!  I shall not sleep until I make the sun and moon rise - go

                        at once!

Husband:          Oh wife, I cannot ask that!  Be content!

Wife:                 I am not contented, you stupid man do as you are told - go.

Narrator:            So, trembling he went down to the sea - the sky had turned black, it

                        was thundering and lightning.  So he shouted unable to hear his own

                        voice.

Husband:          Oh fish of the sea, oh fish of the sea, come listen to me come for my

                        wife Isabel wishes what I dare not tell.

Fish:                 Well what does she want now?

Husband:          Alas!  She wants to be God!

Fish:                 God you say?  Go home - you will find her sitting in the hut, where she

                        belongs!

Narrator:            And there they are sitting to this day

Hebrews 13:5 “keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what

                        you have.