The Fisher and the Little Fish

7.16. De piscatore et pisciculo
Caxton: Of the fyssher and of the lytyl fysshe
Men ought not to leue that thynge whiche is sure & certayne / for hope to haue the vncertayn / as to vs reherceth this fable of a fyssher whiche with his lyne toke a lytyll fysshe whiche sayd to hym / My frend I pray the / doo to me none euylle / ne putte me not to dethe / For now I am nought / for to be eten / but whanne I shalle be grete / yf thow come ageyne hyther / of me shalt thow mowe haue grete auaylle / For thenne I shalle goo with the a good whyle / And the Fyssher sayd to the fysshe Syn I hold the now / thou shalt not scape fro me / For grete foly hit were to me for to seke the here another tyme /
For men ought not to lete goo that / of what they be sure of / hopynge to haue afterward that that they haue not and whiche is vncertayne
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The Angler and the Little FIsh

072. THE ANGLER AND THE LITTLE FISH. An Angler, who gained his livelihood by fishing, after a long day’s toil, caught nothing but one little fish. “Spare me,” said the little creature, “I beseech you; so small as I am, I shall make you but a sorry meal. I am not come to my full size yet; throw me back into the river for the present, and then, when I am grown bigger and worth eating, you may come here and catch me again.”
“No, no,” said the man; “I have got you now, but if you once get back into the water, your tune will be, ‘Catch me if you can.’”
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. [more info]

The Fisherman and the Minnow

120. THE FISHERMAN AND THE MINNOW. You will find the fable in English on this page; scroll to see if there are multiple English versions. [more info]

The Angler and the Little Fish

071. THE ANGLER AND THE LITTLE FISH. A man who was angling in a river, caught a small perch, which, as he was taking off the hook, and going to put it into his basket; opened its mouth, and began to implore his pity, begging that he would throw it into the river again. Upon the man's demanding what reason he had to expect such a favour, “Why,” says the fish, “because at present, I am but young and little, and consequently not so well worth your while, as I shall be, if you take me some time hence, when I am grown larger.”
“That may be,” replies the man, “but I am not one of those fools who quit a certainty in expectation of an uncertainty.” [more info]

The Angler and the Little Fish

078. THE ANGLER AND THE LITTLE FISH. A man who was angling in a river, caught a small perch, which, as he was taking off the hook, and going to put it into his basket; opened its mouth, and began to implore his pity, begging that he would throw it into the river again. Upon the man's demanding what reason he had to expect such a favour, “Why,” says the fish, “because at present, I am but young and little, and consequently not so well worth your while, as I shall be, if you take me some time hence, when I am grown larger.”
“That may be,” replies the man, “but I am not one of those fools who quit a certainty in expectation of an uncertainty.” [more info]

The Little Fish and the Fisher

05.03: THE LITTLE FISH AND THE FISHER.
A little fish will grow,
If life be spared, a great;
But yet to let him go,
And for his growing wait,
May not be very wise,
As 'tis not sure your bait
Will catch him when of size.
Upon a river bank, a fisher took
A tiny troutling from his hook.
Said he, ''Twill serve to count, at least,
As the beginning of my feast;
And so I'll put it with the rest.'
This little fish, thus caught,
His clemency besought.
'What will your honour do with me?
I'm not a mouthful, as you see.
Pray let me grow to be a trout,
And then come here and fish me out.
Some alderman, who likes things nice,
Will buy me then at any price.
But now, a hundred such you'll have to fish,
To make a single good-for-nothing dish.'
'Well, well, be it so,' replied the fisher,
'My little fish, who play the preacher,
The frying-pan must be your lot,
Although, no doubt, you like it not:
I fry the fry that can be got.'
In some things, men of sense
Prefer the present to the future tense.
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The Fisherman and the Little Fish

139. THE FISHERMAN AND THE LITTLE FISH. A FISHERMAN who lived on the produce of his nets, one day caught a single small Fish as the result of his day’s labor. The Fish, panting convulsively, thus entreated for his life: “O Sir, what good can I be to you, and how little am I worth? I am not yet come to my full size. Pray spare my life, and put me back into the sea. I shall soon become a large fish fit for the tables of the rich, and then you can catch me again, and make a handsome profit of me.” The Fisherman replied, “I should indeed be a very simple fellow if, for the chance of a greater uncertain profit, I were to forego my present certain gain.” [more info]

The Fisherman and the Little Fish

07. THE FISHERMAN AND THE LITTLE FISH.
A Fisherman at close of day,
Counting his catch, to his dismay
Found one small Fish was all the spoil
Resulting from his hard day's toil.
With gaping mouth and piteous stare
The Fish implored the Man to spare
His life. "I am so small," said he,
"If you'll return me to the sea,
I shall grow bigger by and by
And worth your while to catch." "Not!"
Replied the Fisherman. "I know
Too much to let a Small Fish go
Because there possibly may be
A big Fish somewhere in the sea." [more info]

The Fisher and the Little Fish

53. THE FISHER AND THE LITTLE FISH. It happened that a Fisher, after fishing all day, caught only a little fish. "Pray, let me go, master," said the Fish. "I am much too small for your eating just now. If you put me back into the river I shall soon grow, then you can make a fine meal off me."
"Nay, nay, my little Fish," said the Fisher, "I have you now. I may not catch you hereafter."
A little thing in hand is worth more than a great thing in prospect. [more info]

The Fisherman and the Fish

63. THE FISHERMAN AND THE FISH.
Prayed the Fish, as the Fisherman took
Him, a poor little mite, from his hook,
"Let me go! I'm so small."
He replied, "Not at all!
You're the biggest, perhaps, in the brook."
A LITTLE CERTAINTY IS BETTER THAN A GREAT CHANCE
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The Angler and the Little Fish

078. THE ANGLER AND LITTLE FISH. You will find the fable in English on this page; scroll down to see if there are multiple English versions. [more info]

The Fisherman and the Little Fish

03. THE FISHERMAN AND THE LITTLE FISH. A FISHERMAN cast his net and caught a little Fish. The little Fish begged him to let him go for the present as he was so small and to catch him again to more purpose later on when he was bulkier. But the Fisherman said, "Nay, I should be a very simpleton to let go a good thing I have got and run after a doubtful expectation." [more info]

The Fisherman and the Little Fish

145. THE FISHERMAN AND THE LITTLE FISH. A poor Fisherman, who lived on the fish he caught, had bad luck one day and caught nothing but a very small fry. The Fisherman was about to put it in his basket when the little Fish said:
"Please spare me, Mr. Fisherman! I am so small it is not worthwhile to carry me home. When I am bigger, I shall make you a much better meal."
But the Fisherman quickly put the fish into his basket.
"How foolish I should be," he said, "to throw you back. However small you may be, you are better than nothing at all."
A small gain is worth more than a large promise. [more info]