The Story of the Man with the Fish

I am truly astonished by a person who hoards for himself yet puts others first. Alas—meet your troubles with a light purse; live on what suffices and you will reach your journey’s end. Store the surplus for your own soul, and do not prefer someone else over yourself, lest you suffer what befell the man with the fish.

They asked, “And what did befall the man with the fish?”

Antonius said: They relate that a fisherman once landed a huge, fat fish. He said, “A catch like this is not for sale, and no one has more right to eat it than I.” So he carried it home. Then it occurred to him to present it as a gift to a neighbouring sage. When he brought it, the sage offered the fisherman something in exchange, but the fisherman refused to take it.

The sage asked, “What moved you to do this? Perhaps you have a need you would like me to fulfil?”

He replied, “No, I simply wished to favour you with it.”

“Very well, I accept it,” said the sage. Then he told one of his servants, “Take this fish to our neighbour, the poor cripple.”

When the fisherman saw that, he struck his forehead and cried, “Woe to me! I have deprived myself of eating that fish!” He then went off to the person most hostile to him and said to him