English for Students

The Mad Fisherman

The Mad Fisherman :


It was market day in the city and carts and animals had arrived from all over the countryside. There were pedlars and merchants, breeders and farmers, noblemen and clowns. Even the arrival of the king was expected.


In the stable, a young foal was born. But as soon as it was able to stand, it fled in terror from all the noise and excitement and hid between two oxen that were pulling a plough.


The owner of the foal wanted his animal back, but the owner of the oxen said, 'The foal is mine, because it has chosen for itself.'


They took their dispute to the king who decided that the foal should remain where it was, as if the two oxen had become its parents from the moment the foal itself had chosen them.


The next day, when the king was out in his carriage, he came across the first owner of the foal standing in the middle of the street with a fishing net. He was casting his net as if he were fishing to the amusement of everyone around.


'What on earth are you doing?' the king asked him. 'I'm fishing, your majesty,' replied the man. 'If two oxen can be parents to a foal, why shouldn't I be able to catch fish in the middle of the street?'

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