Long time ago somewhere along the river coast lived a fisherman. He was leading a happy and content life catching fish and selling them in a local market to earn his livelihood. He was all alone in this world. He had lost his parents at an early age, in a flood that swept his village. He was few of the fortunate to survive.
On one such day, when he was in his boat catching fishes, he caught amazingly large amount of fishes in his net. �This is going to be my lucky day�, he thought while heading toward the local market along with his booty. Suddenly he heard a strange cry coming from nearby. At first he ignored it, but he heard it again, this time somewhat sharply.� Help, help, save my life� was the cry.
The fisherman was puzzled and scared. �This is not possible�, he thought for he was all alone and there was no sign of any one else near by, the only possibility was that his fish could be talking. Thinking that this could be an illusion in his mind, he dismissed it and started walking towards the market.
As he was nearing the market, he again heard something. �If you save my life, I will grant you three wishes� said the voice. This time the fisherman was absolutely sure that he heard it coming from the fish. Immediately, he emptied his load and started looking into his booty.
Suddenly one fish stood up and started talking. �Put me back into water, save my life and you will have three wishes granted� said the fish. The fisherman was scared at first and wanted to run away, but then as he took a second glance at the small attractive fish with golden fins, he gently lifted it and put in his carry-bottle which he always carried along with his food.
After swimming for a while in the bottle, the fish recovered and thanked the fisherman. The fish then spoke again �Thank you, Sir for saving my life. Now it is my turn to keep my promise. You see I am a gifted fish and do have some magical powers, so feel free and ask what you want without any fear. But remember you have only 3 wishes to ask for.�
The fisherman could not believe his luck. He could not think what to ask for and was lost. Seeing this, the fish asked � Don�t you want to be rich, eat good food, live in a big house, wear good clothes and live like a king? �. Hearing this, the fisherman was dumbstruck all he could say was �Yes, Yes�, and nod in excitement.
The fish smiled slyly and said so be it. Suddenly a flash appeared and the fisherman was blinded for a second. The next thing he saw was that he was completely in a different place. He was dressed up like a king and was sitting on a big dinning table with lots of good food and as many servants to serve him. Suddenly he looked around for the fish and found him near his seat comfortably lodged in a fish tank. �Don�t worry �said the fish I won�t leave you till I grant your three wishes�. This made the fisherman happy.
Now his lifestyle changed completely. He would get up late in the mornings lazily eat good food, drink wine and the gamble with his friends till late night and then sleep on his soft and silky bed.
This went on for sometime and then the fisherman started feeling lonely. He again went to the fish and started talking to him. He asked, �Is it a good time to ask for my second wish now?�. The fish smiled and said, �Of course my friend, I was waiting for you to come and ask me your second wish�. The fisherman now got very exited and smiled. He then asked for his second wish. �You see I have all the pleasures and wealth that money can buy but no one to share with, Because of that I am feeling very lonely. I wish for a very beautiful wife, the one who would care for me and love me like no one else has ever had�. The fish again smiled the crooked smile and said �So be it�. The fisherman could not believe his eyes when a beautiful damsel appeared before him and bowed down to touch his feet. This is too good to be true he thought and pinched himself, to find out if he was in a dream but he wasn�t, this beautiful lady was indeed his wife.
Now the fisherman was no longer lonely. His life became very organized for he had a good wife to take care of all his needs and make him happy. Life went on for the fisherman and he was content now. He did not have any worries and there was nothing more he could ask for. Till one morning he woke up and realized that he does not have much energy left in him. It struck him that he was getting old. Age was fast catching up with him. �This could not happen to me he said and was left puzzled�. He became very grave and started thinking about a solution. Suddenly his eyes lit up and he started running towards the fish. The fish was expecting his arrival and waited for him to speak. �My friend� said the fisherman; you have given me everything I wished for I was all content till I realized that I am not fit as I used to be earlier to enjoy all the privileges. The fish was calm and asked him �What can I do for you. Ask me and your wish will be granted�.
The fisherman knew exactly what he had in his mind and loudly announced. �My third wish is that you should make me immortal. Death should not embrace me and I should live forever.�
Hearing this fish started screaming with joy and shouted �I am free, I am free�. The fisherman asked somewhat puzzled what happened to my wish. The fish exclaimed delightfully �So is it�. To his horror, the fisherman started shrinking and started loosing his legs and hands. �What have you done to me?�, asked the fisherman to the fish who was slowly turning into a human form now. The fish smiled and said, �Thank you for letting me free. I was also leading a simple life like you before I was trapped into the unholy world of wealth and misery. I was also granted three boons by one sage and the last boon I asked for was immortality. The sage had to grant my wish for he was compelled to do so, but at the same time he was aware of the great truth that �one who comes to birth has to die. So he converted me into a fish. After realizing my fault, I prayed to the sage to relieve me of this curse and he told me to wait for the next greedy man. As my luck would have it I found you after 100 years. Now it is your turn to find another greedy man to free yourself. And now I can die in peace.� So saying the fish turned into a very old and frail human being.
By now the fisherman had already become a fish. The human form of the fish then lifted the trembling fisherman and carried him to the nearby river. Before dipping him into the river, he said, �I am sorry my friend. Had you not asked for anything in return for saving my life, this would not have happed to you. Greed is Man�s worst enemy�.
Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You
On one such day, when he was in his boat catching fishes, he caught amazingly large amount of fishes in his net. �This is going to be my lucky day�, he thought while heading toward the local market along with his booty. Suddenly he heard a strange cry coming from nearby. At first he ignored it, but he heard it again, this time somewhat sharply.� Help, help, save my life� was the cry.
The fisherman was puzzled and scared. �This is not possible�, he thought for he was all alone and there was no sign of any one else near by, the only possibility was that his fish could be talking. Thinking that this could be an illusion in his mind, he dismissed it and started walking towards the market.
As he was nearing the market, he again heard something. �If you save my life, I will grant you three wishes� said the voice. This time the fisherman was absolutely sure that he heard it coming from the fish. Immediately, he emptied his load and started looking into his booty.
Suddenly one fish stood up and started talking. �Put me back into water, save my life and you will have three wishes granted� said the fish. The fisherman was scared at first and wanted to run away, but then as he took a second glance at the small attractive fish with golden fins, he gently lifted it and put in his carry-bottle which he always carried along with his food.
After swimming for a while in the bottle, the fish recovered and thanked the fisherman. The fish then spoke again �Thank you, Sir for saving my life. Now it is my turn to keep my promise. You see I am a gifted fish and do have some magical powers, so feel free and ask what you want without any fear. But remember you have only 3 wishes to ask for.�
The fisherman could not believe his luck. He could not think what to ask for and was lost. Seeing this, the fish asked � Don�t you want to be rich, eat good food, live in a big house, wear good clothes and live like a king? �. Hearing this, the fisherman was dumbstruck all he could say was �Yes, Yes�, and nod in excitement.
The fish smiled slyly and said so be it. Suddenly a flash appeared and the fisherman was blinded for a second. The next thing he saw was that he was completely in a different place. He was dressed up like a king and was sitting on a big dinning table with lots of good food and as many servants to serve him. Suddenly he looked around for the fish and found him near his seat comfortably lodged in a fish tank. �Don�t worry �said the fish I won�t leave you till I grant your three wishes�. This made the fisherman happy.
Now his lifestyle changed completely. He would get up late in the mornings lazily eat good food, drink wine and the gamble with his friends till late night and then sleep on his soft and silky bed.
This went on for sometime and then the fisherman started feeling lonely. He again went to the fish and started talking to him. He asked, �Is it a good time to ask for my second wish now?�. The fish smiled and said, �Of course my friend, I was waiting for you to come and ask me your second wish�. The fisherman now got very exited and smiled. He then asked for his second wish. �You see I have all the pleasures and wealth that money can buy but no one to share with, Because of that I am feeling very lonely. I wish for a very beautiful wife, the one who would care for me and love me like no one else has ever had�. The fish again smiled the crooked smile and said �So be it�. The fisherman could not believe his eyes when a beautiful damsel appeared before him and bowed down to touch his feet. This is too good to be true he thought and pinched himself, to find out if he was in a dream but he wasn�t, this beautiful lady was indeed his wife.
Now the fisherman was no longer lonely. His life became very organized for he had a good wife to take care of all his needs and make him happy. Life went on for the fisherman and he was content now. He did not have any worries and there was nothing more he could ask for. Till one morning he woke up and realized that he does not have much energy left in him. It struck him that he was getting old. Age was fast catching up with him. �This could not happen to me he said and was left puzzled�. He became very grave and started thinking about a solution. Suddenly his eyes lit up and he started running towards the fish. The fish was expecting his arrival and waited for him to speak. �My friend� said the fisherman; you have given me everything I wished for I was all content till I realized that I am not fit as I used to be earlier to enjoy all the privileges. The fish was calm and asked him �What can I do for you. Ask me and your wish will be granted�.
The fisherman knew exactly what he had in his mind and loudly announced. �My third wish is that you should make me immortal. Death should not embrace me and I should live forever.�
Hearing this fish started screaming with joy and shouted �I am free, I am free�. The fisherman asked somewhat puzzled what happened to my wish. The fish exclaimed delightfully �So is it�. To his horror, the fisherman started shrinking and started loosing his legs and hands. �What have you done to me?�, asked the fisherman to the fish who was slowly turning into a human form now. The fish smiled and said, �Thank you for letting me free. I was also leading a simple life like you before I was trapped into the unholy world of wealth and misery. I was also granted three boons by one sage and the last boon I asked for was immortality. The sage had to grant my wish for he was compelled to do so, but at the same time he was aware of the great truth that �one who comes to birth has to die. So he converted me into a fish. After realizing my fault, I prayed to the sage to relieve me of this curse and he told me to wait for the next greedy man. As my luck would have it I found you after 100 years. Now it is your turn to find another greedy man to free yourself. And now I can die in peace.� So saying the fish turned into a very old and frail human being.
By now the fisherman had already become a fish. The human form of the fish then lifted the trembling fisherman and carried him to the nearby river. Before dipping him into the river, he said, �I am sorry my friend. Had you not asked for anything in return for saving my life, this would not have happed to you. Greed is Man�s worst enemy�.
Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You
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