On the Excellence of Contentment
STORY CXII
A weak fisherman caught a strong fish in his net, and, not being able to retain it, the fish overcame him and pulled the net from his hand.
A boy went to bring water from the torrent;
The torrent came and took the boy away.
The net brought every time a fish;
This time the fish went, and carried off the net.
The other fishermen were sorry, and blamed him for not being able to retain such a fish, which had fallen into his net.
He replied: "O brothers! What can be done? My day was not lucky, but the fish had yet one remaining."
Moral: A fisherman cannot catch a fish in the Tigris without a day [of luck], and a fish cannot die on dry ground without [the decree of] fate.
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