Doctor Who Series 10: 14 Easter Eggs & References You Might've Missed In 'Smile'

By Christian Bone / April 26, 2017

2. The Magic Haddock

BBC

The Doctor compares the situation between the humans and the Vardy in this episode to the tale of the Magic Haddock, a variation on The Monkey’s Paw-type story about being careful what you wish for.

This recalls the last time that the Doctor compared his current predicament to a fairy tale. In 2015's Heaven Sent, the Doctor is trapped behind a wall of unbreakable Azbantium and recites the tale of The Shepherd’s Boy, a Brothers Grimm story about a bird who pecked away at a mountain over eternity.

Interestingly, the story of the Magic Haddock seems to be an original creation of Cottrell Boyce. The Grimms did write a different story about a wish-granting fish, though, called the Fisherman and His Wife.