9. Story of a Fish Hook

I would not enter on my list of friends the man Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm.                            -- William Cowper Once there lived in upper India a rich man. One day he saw a poor man begging alms. Taking pity he asked him what he wanted.     'Please give me a paisa. I shall buy some food and satisfy my hunger,' said the beggar.     The rich man gave a paisa. The beggar took- it and said to himself, 'If I buy a cake and eat it there will be nothing left and I shall have to beg again. No, I shall not spend this pice, but will try to do something which will help me to live without begging.     He bought a fish-hook and with it caught fish in a lake nearby. Day after day be caught some fish, sold them and made money. Soon as he was able to buy a big net and have his own fishing boat. With these he caught plenty of fish and grew rich. He built a fine house to live in and there he was a happy and prosperous man.     One day, as he was sitting in the balcony of his house and looking at the passers-by, he saw a beggar in the street. He sent his men to bring the beggar to him, as his face appeared to be one he had seen before. Then he asked the beggar, 'Good fellow, May I know who you are and what you want? How have you come to be a beggar?     The beggar said, 'Sir, you are a rich man. You can give me alms if you like. But what is the use of asking me questions?'     'No, my good man, do not lose your temper. I am certainly going to help you. But you look very much like a man whom I once saw. That is why I asked you about your past story', answered the rich man gently.     'Sir, I was once a rich man. One day I saw a beggar in the street. I gave him a pice. From that time I began to lose all my wealth till at last I have become a beggar as you see,' answered the beggar.     The rich man jumped from his seat, took hold of the hands of the beggar and said, 'Well, Sir, I am the beggar to whom you gave the pice. I bought a fish-hook with that pice. I caught fish and earned plenty of money and grew rich. All this wealth of mine I made out of your pice. It is only just that you should have half of my wealth and be happy.'     The beggar exclaimed, 'Ah! how foolishly have I been the cause of the sufferings of millons of fish! How much the poor creature must have suffered when the fish-hook pierced their mouths, gills or eyes and tore them to pieces! How deceived they were to got caught on the fish-hook by the false food offered to them! Perhaps; it is as the result of their curses that I am today ,-reduced to this want and misery.'     The beggar's sorrow so moved the rich fisherman that henceforth he gave up fishing. ****  **** Additional Information of Interest Click here to find out more about the cruelty and the pain inflicted on fish by fishing.