Aesop | Greece
The River Fish and The Sea Fish
A river fish boasted about his superiority to sea fish, but in the end, it was their market value that determined their worth.
Once there was a big River Fish. He became large and strong by swimming in the calm waters of his river. But one day, a strong current pulled him away, and soon he found himself in the wide, open sea.
In the sea, he saw many different types of fish. They were all sea fish, and they looked nothing like him. Feeling proud of his river home, he puffed out his chest and said, "I come from a great river. I am strong and mighty, not like you sea fish."
His words spread through the water, and a small Sea Fish heard him. The Sea Fish listened and said, "You think you're special, don't you?"
But the River Fish just laughed and didn’t care about the small fish.
One day, both the River Fish and the Sea Fish were caught in a fisherman's net. The fisherman looked at the two fish. He smiled when he saw the small Sea Fish and placed it carefully in a special basket.
When he saw the large River Fish, he just threw it onto a big pile with other river fish. The Sea Fish, however, was placed in a basket with other fine Sea Fish, chosen for special meals.
As they were taken away, the Sea Fish looked at the River Fish and said, "You see, it’s not about where you come from or how big you are. It’s about what people think you’re worth."
