he, "I am Pope." So he stood and looked at her,
and it was just as if he was looking at the bright sun. When he had
stood looking at her thus for a short time, he said, "Ah, wife, if you
are Pope, do let well alone!" But she looked as stiff as a post, and
did not move or show any signs of life. Then said he, "Wife, now that
you are Pope, be satisfied; you cannot become anything greater now."
"I will consider about that," said the woman. Thereupon they both
went to bed, but she was not satisfied, and greediness let her have no
sleep, for she was continually thinking what there was left for her to
be.

The man slept well and soundly, for he had run about a great deal
during the day; but the woman could not fall asleep at all, and flung
herself from one side to the other the whole night through, thinking
always what more was left for her to be, but unable to call to mind
anything else. At length the sun began to rise, and when the woman saw
the red of dawn, she sat up in bed and looked at it. And when, through
the window, she saw the sun thus rising, she said, "Cannot I, too,
order the sun and moon to rise?" "Husband," said she, poking him in
the ribs with her elbow, "wake up! go to the Flounder, for I wish
to be even as God is." The man was still half asleep, but he was
so horrified that he fell out of bed. He thought he must have heard
amiss, and rubbed his eyes, and said, "Alas, wife, what are you
saying?" "Husband," said she, "if I can't order the sun and moon to
rise, and have to look on and see the sun and moon rising, I can't
bear it. I shall not know what it is to have another happy hour,
unless I can make them rise myself."

Then she looked at him so terribly that a shudder ran over him, and
said, "Go at once; I wish to be like unto God." "Alas, wife," said the
man, falling on his knees before her, "the Flounder cannot do that; he
can make an emperor and a pope; I beseech you, go on as you are, and
be Pope." Then she fell into a rage, and her hair flew wildly about
her head, and she cried, "I will not endure this, I'll not bear it any
longer; wilt thou go?" Then he put on his trousers and ran away like a
madman. But outside a great storm was raging and blowing so hard that
he could scarcely keep his feet; houses and trees toppled over, the
mountains trembled, rocks rolled into the sea, the sky was pitch
black, and it thundered and lightened, and the sea came in with black
waves as high as church-towers and mount