"The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish" is a story many Chinese people remember from childhood. Though it comes from Russia, it has been shared in China for years through picture books, story collections and cartoons.

The tale was written by Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin, a well-known Russian writer often called the father of Russian literature. He turned a traditional folk story into a poem, and it has remained popular ever since.

The story tells of a poor but kind-hearted fisherman who catches a magical goldfish that speaks and offers to grant any wish in exchange for its freedom. The fisherman and his wife release the goldfish without asking for anything in return. However, his wife is not so easily satisfied. She sends the fisherman back to the sea again and again with increasingly extravagant demands. When her greed reaches its peak, the goldfish vanishes, and the couple is left with nothing but their old broken washtub.

In China, this story is more than just a foreign fairy tale – it has served as a gentle moral lesson on contentment, humility and the dangers of unchecked ambition. It is powerful reminder of life's impermanence and the consequences of greed.

The story has also served as an early window into Russian culture for Chinese audiences. Through Pushkin's poetic narrative, readers were introduced to the emotional depth, folk wisdom and storytelling traditions of Russian culture.