Chapter 5

The next day, a storm passed through, bringing wind and pounding rain. Peter didn’t take his sheep out that morning because of it. After the storm passed and the sun came out, he dug worms out of the mud and announced that he was going fishing.

His mother handed him a big basket. “Take Maggie with you. She can help carry the fish home. Here, Maggie,” she said, handing her a smaller basket. “You can pick more berries while Peter is fishing.”

Maggie took the basket and followed Peter out the door. They hadn’t gone far when he handed her the big basket. “Here, you can carry this one, too,” he said.

Maggie sighed. She was tired of doing Peter’s work for him.

As they walked, Peter swung the long stick he used for fishing. He whacked flowers blooming on the side of the path. He knocked leaves from trees. He even tried to hit a passing sparrow. Afraid that he might whack her next, Maggie dropped back to follow him from a safe distance.

After they reached the lake, Peter walked down to the shore and cast his line while Maggie started looking for berries.

“You won’t believe how many fish I’m going to catch!” Peter announced. He pulled in his line, but the worm was gone. He put on another one and cast again. Maggie stumbled upon a lush blackberry thicket and began to fill her basket. She popped one into her mouth and bit down. The taste was refreshing but the seeds got stuck between her teeth.

An hour later, Peter had caught only two tiny fish. Meanwhile, Maggie’s basket was almost filled to the top with delicious, ripe berries.

Peter started casting and pulling his line in faster. He used up almost all of his worms . . . and yet he didn’t catch any more fish.

Maggie thought he looked angry, so she moved farther down the berry patch and closer to the lake.

A fish jumped in the lake near Maggie and left a big circle in the water.

“Why don’t you try over here?” she called to Peter. “I just saw a really big fish!”

Peter laughed. “Yeah, right. You don’t know anything about fishing!”

He cast his line once more, but it came back without a fish again. Peter was scowling when he stomped over to Maggie’s spot. He cast his line where she had been standing and felt a tug right away.

“Look at this!” Peter shouted as he pulled in a very big fish. He smiled and glanced at Maggie. “I knew this was a good spot!”

Maggie squeezed her lips shut so she wouldn’t say anything. Not a lot surprised her anymore. She was used to Peter taking the credit for the good things and blaming her for the bad.

The fish wiggled and thrashed on his line. Peter unhooked it and handed it to Maggie. “Put it in the basket, then come back for the next one. I’m going to catch lots of big ones now.”

The fish stopped squirming as soon as Maggie held it. She was carrying the fish to the basket when it suddenly said, “Let me go and I’ll grant you a wish.”

Maggie’s eyes grew large and her mouth dropped open. “You can talk!” she said.

“It’s not as unusual as people think,” said the fish. “Let me go and I’ll grant you a wish.”

“What kind of wish?” Maggie asked.

“Whatever you want,” said the fish. “But first you have to let me go.”

Maggie thought of all the things she could wish for. Getting her old bed back would be nice. So would having enough to eat. But belonging to a nicer family would be wonderful! Yes, that’s what she wanted more than anything. Besides, should they really eat a talking fish?

Maggie carried the fish to the lake. “Shouldn’t I tell you my wish now before you swim away?” she asked.

“I need to get back in the water!” the fish said, gasping. “Hurry! I can’t breathe!”

Maggie quickly let the fish slip back into the water and watched as it disappeared into the murky depths.

“Wait, don’t you want to know about my wish?” she called after it.

But the fish didn’t come back.

“I wish to be part of a nicer family!” she said in a quiet voice so Peter wouldn’t hear her.

There was no sign of the fish, not even a ripple in the water where he’d been. Maggie was sure she’d been fooled.

Peter was whistling when he rejoined Maggie. “We need to go home now. It looks like it’s going to rain. I don’t think I’ll catch any more fish anyway. But at least I caught that big one. It should feed everyone tonight. Mother will be so proud of me! Hey, where is it?” he asked, looking into the basket.

“Um, I let it go,” said Maggie. “It was a talking fish.”

“You what?” shouted Peter.

“It said it would grant me a wish if I let it go. I was going to wish for something for the family.”

“That was our supper! Fish don’t talk! I’m telling Mother what you did.” Peter snatched the big basket from her hand and stomped off toward home without Maggie.

Maggie sighed. “I’m sure you will,” she said to herself, thinking about how she wouldn’t get any supper again. She was so tired of falling asleep hungry when she was just trying to do the right thing!