"
THE GOLDEN TRIPOD
I
One morning, long ago, a merchant of Miletus [Footnote: Mile'tus.]
was walking along the seashore. Some fishermen were pulling in a large
net, and he stopped to watch them.
"My good men," he said, "how many fish do you expect to draw in this
time?"
"We cannot tell," they answered. "We never count our fish before they
are caught."
The net seemed heavy. There was certainly something in it. The merchant
felt sure that the fishermen were having a good haul.
"How much will you take for the fish that you are drawing in?" he
asked.
"How much will you give?" said the fishermen.
"Well, I will give three pieces of silver for all that are in the net,"
answered the merchant.
[Illustration]
The fishermen talked in low tones with one another for a little while,
and then one said, "It's a bargain. Be they many or few, you may have
all for three pieces of silver."
In a few minutes the big net was pulled up out of the water. There was
not a fish in it. But it held a beautiful golden tripod that was worth
more than a thousand fishes.
The merchant was delighted. "Here is your money," he said.
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