What is the fairy tale about the Goldfish really about? You’ll say, of course, that it’s about the greed of the Old Woman—how her insatiable desires ultimately leave her standing in front of a broken trough. That interpretation is certainly obvius. Incidentally, when developing this plot—which had circulated in various forms for centuries—Pushkin originally intended for the Old Woman to wish to become the Pope of Rome. He later abandoned this idea, likely judging it inappropriate, given the perception of Catholics at the time.
But if we go deeper and interpret the Old Woman and the Old Man as one person, the story becomes an allegory for a lack of humility and a certain arrogance—biblical in nature—that reflects immaturity, ignorance, and a lack of inner grounding. After all, the Old Man continuously fulfills his wife’s (that is, his own ego’s) escalating demands. He is unable to resist the tide of his own inflated self-image.
The more accomplished or “established” a person is, the less significance they attach to their position, title, or “broad shoulders.” They understand that these things are not only temporary, but also fundamentally external to their true identity. These roles and honors are merely a kind of outer garment—there today, gone tomorrow.
By contrast, those who identify themselves with their status, wealth, or appearance are the ones who constantly demand new “clothes”—new affirmations of importance. They crave applause, recognition, and attention. They try to fill an inner void with outer trappings.
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…I remember, years ago, advising newly appointed Minister of Justice Arpine Hovhannisyan not to quit her teaching job. Her response stuck with me:
“Of course I won’t quit. I’m not so stupid as to think I’ll be a minister for the rest of my life.”
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
