All day long a fisherman stood,
fishing in a river.
Although he was ambitious, he
Was failing to deliver.

He pulled in his net a final time,
Intending to walk away,
For he was rightfully weary, and it
Was time to call it a day.

"It's too bad," he sighed, trying
Not to be upset,
When all of a sudden he noticed a fish
Squirming about in his net.

The tiny fish pleaded and pleaded
With him to set it free.
"I am HARDLY worth the effort.
Wouldn't you agree?

"Throw me back into the river,
So I can grow for a spell.
When I've become a larger fish,
I could serve you well.

"Right now I am just a tiny,
Insignificant thing.
But later you could put me on
A platter fit for a king."

"What do you take me for--a fool?"
The fisherman replied.
"That you do not amount to much
Cannot be denied.

"How in the world could you expect
That I should release you when
Both YOU and I know that I would never,
Ever see you again?

"Why let go of a certainty,
For something uncertain? And so
You're going home with me, and into
The frying pan you'll go."

The moral? Once in a while because of
The situation you're in,
You must be creative if you
Want to save your skin.

Another moral isn't about
Trying to  save your ****.
It goes as follows: a bird in the hand
Is worth TWO in the bush.

-by Bob B (9-13-21)

°An Aesop fable retold here in verse