Monthly Archives: August 2013
129.The Fisherman and His Nets
A FISHERMAN, engaged in his calling, made a very successful cast and captured a great haul of fish. He managed by a skilful handling of his net to retain all the large fish and to draw them to the shore; but he could not prevent the smaller fish from falling back through the meshes of the net into the sea.
❖ Take each day as it comes, and each haul also.
128.The Fox and the Grapes
A HUNGRY FOX tried to reach some clusters of grapes which he saw hanging from a vine that was trained on a tree. She wearied herself in vain, for the grapes hung too high up, and she could not reach them. At last she turned away, saying:
“I guess they were unripe anyhow.”
❖ Some men too, when they fail by falling short, blame circumstances or others undeservedly.
127.The Fisher and the Little Fish
It happened that a fisher, after fishing all day, caught only a little fish. “Pray, let me go, master,” said the fish. “I am much too small for you to eat just now. If you put me back into the river I shall soon grow. Then you can make a fine meal off me.”
“No, no, my little fish,” said the fisher. “I have you now. I may not catch you hereafter.”
A little thing in hand is worth more than a great thing in prospect.
126.The Fir-Tree and the Bramble
A FIR-TREE said boastingly to the bramble, “You are useful for nothing at all; while I am everywhere used for roofs and houses.”
The bramble answered: “You poor creature, if you would only call to mind the axes and saws which is about to hew you down, you would have reason to wish that you had grown up a bramble, not a fir-tree.”
❖ Better to have poverty without care, than with riches.
