The Fisherman and the Little Fish

Name: The Fisherman and the Little Fish
Author: Aesop

Aesop B1 Fable

A free B1-level English story for language learners, readable online in 7 languages, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.

Level: B1
Genres: Fable
Reading time: 1 min
Languages available: EN, VI, ES, ZH, PT, HI, ID

A tiny fish begs a fisherman to toss it back into the sea, promising to return once it's grown big enough to be worth catching.

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A Fisherman cast his net into the sea, and when he drew it up again it contained nothing but a single Sprat that begged to be put back into the water. "I'm only a little fish now," it said, "but I shall grow big one day, and then if you come and catch me again I shall be of some use to you." But the Fisherman replied, "Oh, no, I shall keep you now I've got you: if I put you back, should I ever see you again? Not likely!"

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What did the Fisherman catch in his net?
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Answer: Only a single small fish, a Sprat
When he drew up his net, it contained nothing but a single Sprat.
What did the little fish promise the Fisherman if he let it go?
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Answer: It would grow bigger and be worth catching later
The Sprat said it was only little now but would grow big one day and be of use to him then.
How did the Fisherman respond to the little fish's request?
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Answer: He refused and kept it
He said he would rather keep the fish now than risk never catching it again.
What does the Fisherman's choice suggest is wiser?
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Answer: Keeping what you already have rather than risking it for more
The Fisherman chose the certainty of what he already had over the fish's promise of a bigger catch later.

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