1. The Universality of Three Wishes
The Motif of Three
In Literature

2. Motif in Literature
A motif is a theme in literature. A single motif can be found in many stories across the world. What stories have the motif of things in “threes?”

3. Think back to childhood stories
“The Three Little Pigs” “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” “The Three Billy Goats Gruff”

4. Stories with the Motif of “Three”
“The Third Wish” by Joan Aiken

5. Stories with the motif of “Three”
“King Midas and the Golden Touch”

6. Effects of Having Three Wishes
In “What, of This Goldfish, Would you Wish” what is the effect or outcome of having three wishes granted? Is Sergei’s humanity revealed? Record your answers in a document that you will later edit and post on the blog on our class website.

7. Literary Motif – Three Wishes
Usually a magical being grants 3 wishes to an ordinary human
Write and Think Now – Think about fairy tales you know that involve the ‘three wishes’ motif. What do you think is the significance of the wishes? Record your answers in a document that you will later edit and post on the blog on our class website.

8. Speaking of Wishes
“Ironically, the motif most often points out the dangers of being dissatisfied with one’s humble life style and suggests that the best wish is to ask that things be exactly as they are.” from The Greenland Encyclopedia of Folktales and Fairy Tales by Donald Hasse

9. Assignment: (copy and paste the links below into your browser)
Research one of the following stories, then answer the questions on the next slide.
The Fisherman and His Wife - Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm (
The Stone Cutter (
King Midas (

10. Answer the Following Questions -Record your answers in a document that you will later edit and post on the blog on our class website.
What was the setting of the story you chose?
Compare and contrast this story with the Keret text (You may do a Venn Diagram).
Discuss how Keret’s text fits in with the tale you read. What elements are similar? What makes it unique?
4. Write a summary of your thoughts about the literary motif of three wishes. Please feel free to browse the internet for ideas. However, give the appropriate credit.