The three fish

   There was a big water body connected to a river. The water body had stagnant water in which lichen, moss and many things grew that are a favourite food of fish. The fish swarm such places. Many fish came to this water body from the river lured by food. And for spawning, all the fish came their. This water body was hidden by tall grass and bushes. 

  

   A group of three fish lived there. They were different in nature and thinking. Anna fish believed in taking steps at the first sign of any problem coming. Pratyu fish was for tackling the problem only when it arose. Yaddi fish believed in fate. She thought that whatever will be, will be. There is no use of taking any steps. What is written in fate will do happen?

    

     One evening, fishermen were returning home. They were sad because they had caught very few fish. Suddenly they saw fish catcher birds flying overhead. Each one was holding fish in once beak. It startled the fishermen. 

      One guessed, "Fellows, I guess there is a water body fed by the river where so many fish live."

     The fishermen barged through the tall grass and bushes and came upon that water body.

     A fisherman exclaimed, "Aha! This water body is full of fish. We knew nothing about it till now.

     " We shall get loads of fish here." Another said happily.

      The third fisherman announced, "We shall come tomorrow morning. It is too late today." 

     This, they went away having decided to return the next day. The three fish had heard the fishermen talk. 

     Anna fish said, "Friends, you heard them. They will come tomorrow morning to catch us. We must make an advance move to save ourselves. I am leaving for the river right now. Then it won't make any difference to me if the fishermen come. I will be far away safely in the river." 

     Pratyu fish said, "I am not coming. If you wish, you can go. The fishermen may come here and may not come at all.

     Something might happen to stop them from coming here. 

      Their coming here is not certain. 

   If they do come then I will think about how to save myself."

 Yaddi fish sighed, "Running away from here won't help. If fishermen are to come, they will come. If we are to die, then we will die. Nothing can be done."

          So, Anna went away into the river. Pratyu and Yaddi stayed back. The next morning, the fishermen come and began casting their nets.

           By this time, Anna fish was far away in the river diving happily away from the danger. Her advance move had proved very wise. The other two were in trouble.

             Now Pratyu had to think of some way to save her life. She was thinking fast. There was no role there to hide herself into. 

            Then she remembered that a dead others body had been floating around there for some days. It was rotting and smelling bad. It could save her life. She looked for it and found it. Pratyu swam inside the body of the dead otter and swallowed in rotting flesh. When she came out she was smelling awful. A little later she was caught in a net. The fisherman emptied his net of fish on the sand. All the other fish were twisting, turning and wriggling. But Pratyu acted dead. 

         The fisherman sensed the rotten smell.  He looked at the fish and saw steel body of Pratyu who was acting dead. He picked Pratyu up and smelled it. He made a bad face and threw back Pratyu in the water saying, " Yuck! It is a dead fish. Dead and rotten!" 

         This, Pratyu was able to save herself by clever and quick thinking. Once in water she dashed for the narrow channel that lead to the river.

      Yaddi was also caught in another net. She lay in the heap twisting and wriggling like other fish who eventually died a painful death. Yaddi did neither take any advance action nor tried to save herself. That was the end of Yaddi who believed in fate.

Moral:- Those who depend on fate perish.