Tag Archives: The Fisherman and the Little Fish

130.The Fisherman and the Little Fish

A FISHERMAN who lived on the produce of his nets, one day caught a single small fish as the result of his day’s labour. The fish, panting convulsively, thus begged for his life:

“Oh, what good can I be to you, and how little am I worth? I am not yet come to my full size. Pray spare my life, and put me back into the sea. I shall soon become a large fish fit for the tables of the rich, and then you can catch me again, and make a handsome profit of me.”

The fisherman replied,

“I would be a simple fellow if I were to forego my present certain gain for the chance of a greater, but uncertain profit.”

A fine fairy-tale could have taken another direction at that point –

He labours in vain who tries to please everybody.