Lütt Matten und die weiße Muschel (1964)

Young Lütt Matten has been looking forward to the morning when his father was supposed to give him the materials for a fish trap of his own. But, as always, his father heads out to sea to fish with his men. Since Lütt Matten won’t give up, he is eventually allowed to gather the parts for the trap himself. With no one to help him—and even his friend Kaule abandoning him because he thinks the undertaking is hopeless—he builds it as best he can. Only the girl Mariken helps him stretch the fishing nets. But no fish are caught. Before long, the village children laugh at Lütt Matten for his lack of luck as an angler. His father, meanwhile, cannot even find the time to look at the trap. Mariken tells Lütt Matten about the legendary white shell. It is said to have been sunk in the sea long ago and ever since has sung the fish toward the fishermen. Lütt Matten and Mariken decide to find the white shell so that he can finally catch some fish. Despite searching hard, the two children do not find it. However, a large white shell lies in the chest of the “Urgroßvadding.” Lütt Matten takes it and sinks it beside his trap, making wishes for good luck at fishing. The next day, a roach has indeed become caught in the trap. The village children are amazed, but Lütt Matten’s father explains to his son that someone must have put the roach in the trap, since the trap itself could not possibly catch fish. In the end, Mariken admits that she put the roach in the trap to cheer Lütt Matten up. Lütt Matten believes he simply has not found the right white shell. At night, he sets out alone onto the Bodden to find it. He loses his way in the dark, and eventually his boat gets caught among the fishermen’s traps out at sea. His father finally finds him there. Alarmed by Mariken, he had gone looking for Lütt Matten with other fishermen. The next morning, disappointed, Lütt Matten tears down his trap. His father, who has finally taken the time to look at it, suggests that they build a proper trap out at sea. Lütt Matten is skeptical, since his father has already promised him a lot but never followed through. His father realizes that he has often disappointed his son. He immediately gets to work gathering the parts for a new trap. He takes the children out to sea and builds it, and by the next day it has already caught numerous eels.