The Lake, the Warning, and the Ones Who Listened Too Late

In the still, sparkling waters of a peaceful lake, three fish lived together. Though they swam side by side, each one was completely different in the way they thought and acted.

The first fish was lazy and always lost in memories. It loved talking about “the good old days” and never worried about anything — not even tomorrow. It would often say, “Why bother thinking about the future? I’ll just deal with things if they happen.”

The second fish lived only in the moment. It wasn’t too lazy, but it never planned anything either. It liked to wait and see what happened before reacting. “Why stress?” it would say. “I’ll figure it out when I have to.”

But the third fish was different. It was wise and thoughtful. This fish didn’t just live for the moment — it always looked ahead. It was the kind of fish that made plans, paid attention to its surroundings, and stayed alert. It believed that staying prepared was the best way to stay safe.

Despite their differences, the three fish got along. They often argued over silly things, but in the end, they were happy just being together.

One sunny afternoon, the three friends were playing near the surface of the lake. Suddenly, the third fish heard voices from above. Curious, it swam closer and listened carefully.

Two fishermen were standing near the edge of the lake, talking.

“This lake looks promising,” said one. “I heard there are some big, juicy fish in here.”

“Perfect,” said the other. “Let’s bring our nets tomorrow afternoon. We’ll catch some and cook a nice meal.”

They laughed and walked away, but the third fish felt a chill run down its fins.

Wasting no time, it swam back to the others. “Did you hear them?” it said urgently. “They’re coming back tomorrow to catch us! I know a secret route that leads to a nearby canal, and from there we can reach a safer lake. We need to leave tonight.”

The second fish frowned. “I heard them too. But maybe they won’t come back. Or maybe they’ll fish somewhere else. Let’s wait and see tomorrow.”

The first fish yawned. “Oh, they’re probably just joking. Besides, why should we leave our lake because of some strangers? I’m too tired to move.”

The third fish tried to convince them again, but they wouldn’t listen. Finally, with a heavy heart, it said goodbye and left alone through the narrow path it had discovered, heading toward the new lake.

The next day, as the sun reached its peak, the two fishermen returned — just as they had promised.

They cast their nets deep into the water.

The second fish panicked when it saw them. It realized the third fish had been right. Thinking quickly, it remembered something it had once seen another fish do. It let itself be caught in the net — but as soon as the fishermen pulled it up, the second fish went limp and acted dead.

One of the fishermen looked at it and said, “Huh, this one’s already dead. Not worth keeping.” He tossed the fish back into the lake, and with a quick flick of its tail, the second fish escaped.

But the first fish had been sleeping. By the time it woke up, the net was already closing in. It swam around in confusion, unsure of what was happening. It had no plan, no idea, and nowhere to go. Within minutes, it was caught and placed in a basket. It didn’t survive the trip.

Later that evening, the second fish, still shaken, swam to the edge of the lake and looked toward the canal. “If only I had listened sooner,” it thought. “I was lucky. But not everyone gets a second chance.”

And in the new lake, the third fish swam safely, feeling sad for its friends but grateful it had trusted its instincts.

☆☆☆

Moral: Thinking ahead and being prepared can save your life — while ignoring danger or waiting too long can cost you everything.

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