A fisherman once caught a salmon. When he saw its extraordinary size, he exclaimed, “This is wonderful! I’ll take it to the Baron, because he loves salmon.”

The poor fish consoled itself; “There’s hope for me yet.”

The fisherman brought the fish to the manor house, and the guard at the entrance asked, “What do you have?”

“A salmon,” answered the proud fisherman.

“Great,” said the guard. “The Baron loves salmon!”

The fish felt that there was some corroboration of the facts. The fisherman entered the palace, and though the fish could hardly breathe, it still had hope: The Baron loves salmon.

The fish was brought into the kitchen, and all the cooks commented how much the Baron loves salmon. The fish was placed on the table, and when the Baron entered, he ordered, “Cut off the tail, cut off the head, and slit open the salmon!”

With his last breath, the fish cried out in despair, “Why did you lie? If you really love me, care for me and let me live. You don’t love salmon, you love yourself!”

—Adapted from “Simple Words”