A Fishy Tale

This is a story packed with events and characters, built like a series of comic mishaps, with its ending tied to the beginning.

On the shore of the Sea of Galilee, Mr. Glick is quietly in love with Miss Shaltiel. This morning Mr. Glick, a shy man, caught a big fish. This is his chance to invite Miss Shaltiel to dinner, and the lady agrees. Mr. Glick goes out to his courtyard to grill the fish. This is where the nosy Mrs. Schwartz enters- she peers out of the window to see what is cooking outside. Mr. Glick wants to show her the fish, which squirts out of his fingers and flies straight into Mrs. Schwartz`s window. But the bad- tempered lady doesn`t like fish and out it flies again, only to land on a bouquet of flowers carried by Moshe the messenger who happens to be passing on his motorbike. when Moshe hands the bouquet to Mrs.Antebi, she sees the fish, turns up her nose and throws down the bouquet together with the fish. Moshe apologizes, and decides to sell the fish. Mr. Glick, who has been searching for the vanished fish, now runs into Moshe. “I sold it to a man in a green suit,” says Moshe.

Mr. Glick decides he has no choice but to buy a chicken from Yehuda the Butcher. He lays the chicken on the barbecue in the yard and goes indoors. But while he`s inside, Pedro the Dog appears and snatches the chicken. Now Mr. Schwartz comes home, dressed in his green suit. “Guess what I brought you for dinner?” he says to his wife. Bur Mrs. Schwartz orders her husband to exchange the fish for a chicken. Mr. Schwartz goes out and bumps into Pedro. In the crash, the fish flies out of the basket and lands on Mrs. Glick`s barbecue, and the bird drops from Pedro`s jaws. Miss Shaltiel, who happens to be passing, helps Mr. Schwartz to get up and puts the chicken in his basket.

That evening Mr. Glick and Miss Shaltiel enjoy a delicious fish for dinner. This will lead to further meetings, and Mrs. Schwartz will continue to stick her nose into her neighbors` business.