A Huntsman, returning with his dogs from the field, fell in by chance with a Fisherman who was bringing home a basket well laden with fish. The Huntsman wished to have the fish, and their owner experienced an equal longing for the contents of the game-bag. They quickly agreed to exchange the produce of their day’s sport. Each was so well pleased with his bargain that they made for some time the same exchange day after day. Finally a neighbor said to them, “If you go on in this way, you will soon destroy by frequent use the pleasure of your exchange, and each will again wish to retain the fruits of his own sport.”
Credits
Aesop was an ancient Greek storyteller, traditionally dated to around the 6th century BCE, credited with hundreds of short moral fables that have shaped Western literature ever since. "The Huntsman and the Fisherman" is one of his lesser-known works, but it carries a quietly sharp insight into human psychology that feels as relevant today as ever.
