Once upon a time there was a fisherman who fell asleep while mending his nets, and when he awoke under the stars he saw an angel princess descending out of heaven to dance across the sparkling sea. For the next six nights he hid behind the rocks so he could watch her dance in the moonlight, and he fell in love with her.

On the seventh night he snared her with his strongest net and said he would not release her until she promised to marry him. She promised she would, but she must return home to bid farewell to her mother and to collect her dowry.

She returned just as she promised and with her she brought a large trunk. She consented to be the fisherman's wife, but she made him promise never to open the trunk. The next day they were married on a high meadow overlooking the sea and they lived very happily together.

One day while his bride was at the market, the fisherman's curiosity overpowered him and he opened the trunk and looked inside.

Just then his wife returned and found him standing over the open trunk. He was confused. He turned to her and said he didn't know why she made him promise never to look inside because there was nothing there.

His wife began to sob. The fisherman did not understand.

"That night when I left to say goodbye to my mother," she explained, "I collected some things from home that I loved and I brought them to enjoy here on earth. Now I cannot stay with you."

The fisherman became angry.

"You are leaving me just because I looked in the trunk?"

"No," she said. "I could stay if you had only broken your promise to me. I must leave because you looked at everything I love and said it was nothing."

The fisherman ran toward her to beg forgiveness, but she was already gone.