{"collection":"African","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/afr/yl/yl29.htm","path":"afr/yl/yl29.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/afr/yl/yl29.htm","text":"Sacred-Texts African Index Previous Next\nACROSS a certain river a poor fisherman set a row of stakes, and on each stake was fastened a basket in which he hoped to trap the fishes as they swam down the river.\nBut his luck was very bad, and every p. 50 evening, as he went from basket to basket in his canoe, he was disappointed to find that no fishes, or only a few very small ones, had been caught.\nThis made him very sad, and he was forced to live frugally.\nOne day he found a stranger lying asleep on the river-bank. Instead of killing the stranger, the fisherman spoke kindly to him, and invited him to share his evening meal.\nThe stranger appeared very pleased and ate and drank, but spoke no word at all, The fisherman thought: \u201cHe speaks another language.\u201d\nQuite suddenly the stranger vanished, and only the remains of the meal convinced the fisherman that he had not been dreaming.\nThe next evening when he went to empty his baskets, he was astonished to find them overflowing with fish. He could not account for his good fortune, and his surprise was even greater when the same thing occurred the next day. On the third day p. 51 the baskets were again quite full, and when the fisherman came to the last basket he saw that it contained a single monstrous fish.\n\u201cDo you not know me?\u201d said the fish.\n\u201cIndeed no, Mr. Fish. I have never seen you before!\u201d declared the fisherman, nearly upsetting the canoe in his astonishment.\n\u201cHave you forgotten the stranger whom you treated so courteously?\u201d went on the fish. \u201cIt was I, and I am the King of the fishes. I am grateful for your kindness and intend to reward you.\u201d\nThen the fish jumped into the river with a great splash. But ever afterwards the fishing-baskets were full every evening, and the fisherman became rich and prosperous.","title":"XXVII THE SECRET OF THE FISHING-BASKETS","type":"page"}