"Yes," said she; "now I am emperor."
Then he looked at her for some time, and said, "Alas, wife, how much
better off art thou for being emperor?"
"Husband," she said, "what art thou standing there for? Now I am
emperor, I mean to be pope! Go back to the flounder."
"Alas, wife," said the man, "what wilt thou not want? Pope thou canst
not be. There is only one pope in Christendom. That's more than the
flounder can do."
"Husband," she said, "pope I will be; so go at once. I must be pope
this very day."
"No, wife," he said, "I dare not tell him. It's no good; it's too
monstrous altogether. The flounder cannot make thee pope."
"Husband," said the woman, "don't talk nonsense. If he can make an
emperor, he can make a pope. Go immediately. I am emperor, and thou
art but my husband, and thou must obey."
So he was frightened, and went; but he was quite dazed. He shivered
and shook, and his knees trembled.
A great wind arose over the land, the clouds flew across the sky,
and it grew as dark as night; the leaves fell from the trees, and the
water foamed and dashed upon the shore. In the distance the ships were
being tossed to and fro on the waves, and he heard them firing signals
of distress. There was still a little patch of blue in the sky among
the dark clouds, but toward the south they were red and heavy, as in a
bad storm. In despair, he stood and said;
"Flounder, flounder in the sea,
Prythee, hearken unto me:
My wife, Ilsebil, will have her own way
Whatever I wish, whatever I say."
"Now, what does she want?" said the flounder.
"Alas" said the man, "she wants to be pope."
"Go back. Pope she is," said the flounder.
So back he went, and he found a great church, surrounded with palaces.
He pressed through the crowd, and inside he found thousands and
thousand of lights, and his wife, entirely clad in gold, was sitting
on a still higher throne, with three golden crowns upon her head, and
she was surrounded with priestly state. On each side of her were two
rows of candles, the biggest as thick as a tower, down to the tiniest
little taper. Kings and emperors were on their knees before her,
kissing her shoe.
"Wife," said the man, looking at her, "art thou now pope?"
"Yes," said she; "now I am pope."
So there he stood gazing at her, and it was like looking at a shining
sun.
"Alas, wife," he said, "art thou better off for being pope?" At first
she sat as stiff as a post, without stirring. Then he said, "Now,
wife, be content with being pope; higher thou canst not go."
"I will think about that," said the woman, and with that they both
went to bed. Still she was not content, and could not sleep for her
inordinate desires. The man slept well and soundly, for he had walked
about a great deal in the day; but his wife could think of nothing
but what further grandeur she could demand. When the dawn reddened the
sky, she raised herself up in bed and looked out of the window, and
when she saw the sun rise she said:
"Ha! can I not cause the sun and the moon to rise? Husband!" she
cried, digging her elbow into his side, "wake up and go to the
flounder. I will be lord of the universe."
Her husband, who was still more than half asleep, was so shocked that
he fell out of bed. He thought he must have heard wrong. He rubbed his
eyes and said:
"Alas, wife, what didst thou say?"
"Husband," she said, "if I cannot be lord of the universe, and cause
the sun and moon to set and rise, I shall not be able to bear it. I
shall never have another happy moment."
She looked at him so wildly that it caused a shudder to run through
him.
"Alas, wife," he said, falling on his knees before her, "the flounder
can't do that. Emperor and pope he can make, but that is indeed beyond
him. I pray thee, control thyself and remain pope."
Then she flew into a terrible rage. Her hair stood on end; she panted
for breath, and screamed:
"I won't bear it any longer; wilt thou go?"
Then he pulled on his trousers and tore away like a madman. Such a
storm was raging that he could hardly keep his feet; houses and trees
quivered and swayed, mountains trembled, and the rocks rolled into the
sea. The sky was pitchy black; it thundered and lightened, and the
sea ran in black waves, mountains high, crested with white foam. He
shrieked out, but could hardly make himself heard:
"Flounder, flounder in the sea,
Prythee, hearken unto me:
My wife, Ilsebil, will have her own way
Whatever I wish, whatever I say."
"Now, what does she want?" asked the flounder.
"Alas," he said, "she wants to be Lord of the Universe."
"Now she must go back to her old hovel," said the flounder; "and there
you will find her."
And there they are to this very day!
* * * * *