An old cobbler and his wife are starving, and the cobbler, driven to despair, goes fishing. He catches a magical speaking fish who instructs him to cook and divide its flesh: two portions to his wife, and two to be buried in the garden. The cobbler obeys. Soon, twin sons are born, and in the garden two tall plants grow, each crowned with a shining shield. The boys are known as the Knights of the Fish.

When they come of age, the brothers part at a crossroads, promising to return if anything of importance occurs. One brother travels east and reaches a city in mourning: a princess has been chosen to be devoured by a fiery dragon. The knight rescues her by using a mirror to turn the dragon against its own reflection, then kills it in the moment of confusion. He marries the princess, and they live happily in a vast palace.

But the knight’s curiosity draws him toward the Black Castle of Albatroz, an ominous, enchanted fortress from which none return. Inside dwells an ancient witch, Lady Berberisca, who tries to force him to marry her. When he refuses, she tricks him onto a trap-door, and he falls into a dungeon where the bones of previous victims lie. His voice becomes part of the echoes of the castle.

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