Fisherman’s Fable: A Story with Deep Meaning

The first fisherman was lazy and foolish, so he rowed out only a few yards from shore where the water was shallow. He fished all morning and caught only one tiny fish.

By noon, the sun was high in the sky. The fisherman knew the fish would no longer be biting, so he rowed the short distance back to shore. He sold his fish in the market for only two coins which he used to buy his large family one small loaf of bread for dinner. By noon, the sun was high in the sky. The fisherman knew the fish would no longer be biting, so he rowed the short distance back to shore. He sold his fish in the market for only two coins which he used to buy his large family one small loaf of bread for dinner.

The second fisherman was wiser and more hardworking than the first. He rowed out farther from shore where the water was a little deeper. The second fisherman was wiser and more hardworking than the first. He rowed out farther from shore where the water was a little deeper.

By noon, when the sun was getting too hot to fish, he had caught a medium sized fish which he sold for ten coins. He was able to buy his family a loaf of bread, a wheel of cheese, and vegetables for stew. He was also able to buy a new wool blanket for his children to use on chilly nights. By noon, when the sun was getting too hot to fish, he had caught a medium sized fish which he sold for ten coins. He was able to buy his family a loaf of bread, a wheel of cheese, and vegetables for stew. He was also able to buy a new wool blanket for his children to use on chilly nights.

The third fisherman was the wisest and most hard working of the three. He rowed nearly a mile from shore where the water was very deep. He also fished until noon. The third fisherman was the wisest and most hard working of the three. He rowed nearly a mile from shore where the water was very deep. He also fished until noon.

Before the sun became too hot to continue, he caught an enormous fish which he then sold in the market for forty coins. He earned enough money to feed his family well for many days, and he had coins left over to buy more supplies to use for fishing. Before the sun became too hot to continue, he caught an enormous fish which he then sold in the market for forty coins. He earned enough money to feed his family well for many days, and he had coins left over to buy more supplies to use for fishing.

Remember, do not expect to catch big fish in shallow water—the deeper the water, the bigger the fish. Remember, do not expect to catch big fish in shallow water—the deeper the water, the bigger the fish.

Journal: Fisherman’s Fable Fisherman’s What is the moral to this story? Think about how we can apply this moral to writing. What is the moral to this story? Think about how we can apply this moral to writing.

What is the moral to this story? –Just like water, writing can be shallow or deep. When students list ideas in a composition instead of developing them, they are fishing in shallow water, and they will only “catch” small ideas. –When writers develop their ideas with things like dialogue, figurative language, details, and imagery, they are fishing in deep water. If they were fishermen, they would “catch” HUGE” ideas