Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 8.djvu/262

250 of thine affair, for thus wilt thou find the manifest road wherein is salvation, and give not thyself up to a trifling evanescent delight that leadeth to the abyss of destruction, lest there befall thee that which befell the fisherman.’ ‘What was that?’ asked the king, and Shimas said, ‘I have heard tell that THE FOOLISH FISHERMAN.

A fisherman went forth one day to a certain river, to fish there, as of his wont; and when he came thither and walked upon the bridge, he saw a great fish in the water and said to himself, “It will not serve me to abide here, but I will follow yonder fish whithersoever it goeth, till I take it, for it will dispense me from fishing days and days.” So he put off his clothes and plunged into the river after the fish. The current bore him along till he overtook it and laid hold of it, when he turned and found himself far from land. However, he would not loose the fish and return, but ventured himself and gripping it fast with both hands, let his body float with the current, which carried him on till it cast him into a whirlpool which none might enter and be saved therefrom. With this he fell to crying out and saying, “Save a drowning man!” And there came to him folk of the keepers of the river and said to him, “What ailed thee to cast thyself into this grievous peril?” Quoth he, “It was I myself who forsook the plain way wherein was salvation and gave myself over to covetise and perdition.” “O fellow,” said they, “why didst thou leave the way of safety and cast thyself into this destruction, knowing from of old that none may enter herein and be saved? What hindered thee from throwing away what was in thy hand and saving thyself? So hadst