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TWO FISH AND A FROG

Two fish lived in a lake. A frog was their good friend. Every day, they met at the lake's edge and talked and went back home at sunset. One day, they saw some fishermen with nets and a basket full of fish coming their way. The fishermen noticed that the lake was full of good fish. They discussed among themselves and decided that they would come back early the next morning, to catch as much fish as they could.

All the fish in the lake heard their conversation and were very worried. Then, the frog asked one fish for advice. 'You heard what the fishermen just said? Now, tell us, is there anything we can do? Should we stay here or go somewhere else?'

'Why do you worry?' the fish said soothingly. 'You shouldn't be scared by mere words. The world is still safe because the dreams of snakes and wicked men never come true. The fishermen may not even come here tomorrow. If they come, I'm here to save you!"

'You are a genius!' the other fish said. "What you say is correct. There is nothing that accomplished men cannot conquer! Where one cannot pierce the sun and the wind, the wits of a resourceful man help. One should not leave the motherland, for, no place is better than one's own land.'

'Friends, the only thing that is clear to me is to run away as fast as possible,' the frog said. "My wife and I are leaving tonight.'

The frog left the lake immediately. The next day, the fishermen came and caught a lot of fish, frogs, crabs and turtles. The frog's friends, the two fish were also caught. A fisherman carried one fish on his head because he was the heaviest, and slung the other fish on his arm because he was very long.

From a distance, the frog showed his wife this sight. 'Didn't I tell you what the fishermen would do?" he said. 'Now, look at the sorry state of those fish!" The fourth Brahmin concluded the story by saying, 'My friend, you said that wisdom is superior to knowledge. I differ slightly; I say that, without education, wisdom alone does not suffice.

'True,' said the third Brahmin, 'but it is unwise to ignore a friend's advice. Greed made you ignore my advice. Haven't you heard how the donkey ignored the jackal's advice and got a millstone around his neck?'