The Fisherman and the Fish

 The Fisherman and the Fish

    A fisherman sat still on the bank of a sparkling stream one bright afternoon. He had arisen before dawn that morning, eaten a healthy breakfast, packed a good lunch, and set out with his pole and other gear just as the sun was creeping up.

    The fisherman sat in the shade of a tree near the cool water. He already had eaten his lunch and taken a small nap. He might have felt completely content, except that he had not caught a single fish all morning and was starting to grow impatient. "Perhaps another spot downstream would be better," He said to himself.

    Suddenly the fisherman felt a tug on his line, and when he pulled the pole out of the water, he saw that he had caught a rather small fish. Removing the fish from the hook, the fisherman was startled to hear the creature speak.

    "Please let me go," the fish pleaded. "I am much too small for you to eat. If you throw me back into the river, I will soon grow to a size that will satisfy your hunger."

    The fisherman began to imagine a great fat fish heaped on a serving plate in the middle of his table. As the fisherman paused to think about this, the little fish thought that he had persuaded the fisherman to let him go.

    However, when the fisherman returned from his daydream, he looked at the fish and said, "But I have you now, and I may not catch you again." With that, he tossed the fish into his bucket, picked up his pole, and made his way toward home.