The Tale of the Fisherman and the Golden Fish:

A Verse Retelling of Alexander Pushkin’s Fairy Tale (with the Original Russian Text Inside) (Pushkin’s Fairy Tales Reimagined)

About

What if a classic Alexander Pushkin fairy tale in English didn’t feel like homework, but like a story told by a friend in flowing verse?

The Tale of the Fisherman and the Golden Fish is a bilingual Russian-English storybook that brings Pushkin’s beloved fairy tale to life for modern readers. This verse retelling keeps the spirit and shape of the original while reading like natural, musical English, retold for kids and middle grade readers.

An old fisherman catches a magical golden fish who begs him to let her go, and he sets her free without asking for anything in return. He is content with his simple life, but his wife is not. Soon she sends him back to the sea again and again, demanding a new hut, a palace, power, and finally control over the waves themselves... until the ocean decides it has had enough.

It’s a classic fairy tale retold with clear rhythm and rhyme, perfect for reading aloud. This edition is part of Pushkin’s Fairy Tales Reimagined, a series of Pushkin fairy tales in English that opens a door into Russian and world folklore for today’s readers.

Inside this book, you’ll find:


  • A complete English verse retelling. Pushkin’s fairy tale is translated into natural, readable rhyme and rhythm, a classic fairy tale in verse that works for bedtime, classroom read-alouds, or independent reading.

  • The full original Russian text. For literature lovers and language nerds who want to compare the Russian-English parallel text, reread the original, or simply see how the story looks and sounds in Russian.

  • A kid-friendly glossary. Selected English words are explained at the back of the book, turning new vocabulary into part of the adventure rather than a test.

  • Bright, full-color illustrations. Gentle, storybook-style art in vivid color that supports the mood of the tale without overwhelming the text and makes this edition feel like a gift book.

  • A timeless moral that still hits home. A sharp but accessible look at greed, gratitude, and knowing when “enough” is enough, in a way kids 7-12 can understand.

Releasing just in time for the holiday season, this bright, full-color edition makes a charming Christmas gift or holiday present for children who love fairy tales, and for families who want something more timeless than another branded character book.

You can also listen to a free audio version of the English text on the author’s website, making it easy to read along or use this Pushkin fairy tale in English in the classroom.

Perfect for middle grade readers (ages 7-12), families who love retold fairy tales, and anyone curious about Russian literature. The Tale of the Fisherman and the Golden Fish is a gentle way to add world folklore for middle grade readers to your shelf. Add this lyrical bilingual Russian-English fairy tale to your library if you want a story that feels both timeless and new, and watch for the next book in Pushkin’s Fairy Tales Reimagined, The Tale of the Golden Cockerel.

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