Tag Archives: Sorrow is always the twin sister of joy

132.Sorrow is always the twin sister of joy

SOME FISHERMEN were out trawling their nets. Perceiving them to be very heavy, they danced about for joy and supposed that they had taken a large catch. When they had dragged the nets to the shore they found but few fish: the nets were full of sand and stones. The men, who had formed such high expectations, were extra downcast for them. And then one of their company, an old man, said,

“Let us cease lamenting, my mates, for, as it seems to me, sorrow is always the twin sister of joy; and it was only to be looked for that we, who just now were over-rejoiced, should next have something to make us sad.”

You cannot always tell what’s in the package by its cover

Correspondingly, we cannot always tell what’s in the net by its weight alone.