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. "Give me
the tripod."
"No, indeed," said the fishermen. "You were to have all the fish that
happened to be in the net and nothing else. We didn't sell you the
tripod."
They began to quarrel. They talked and wrangled a long time and could
not agree. Then one of the fishermen said, "Let us ask the governor
about it and do as he shall bid us."
"Yes, let us ask the governor," said the merchant. "Let him decide the
matter for us."
So they carried the tripod to the governor, and each told his story.
The governor listened, but could not make up his mind as to who was
right. "This is a very important question," he said. "We must send to
Delphi [Footnote: Delphi (_pro_. del'fi).] and ask the oracle whether
the tripod shall be given to the fishermen or to the merchant. Leave
the tripod in my care until we get an answer."
Now the oracle at Delphi was supposed to be very wise. People from all
parts of the world sent to it, to tell it their troubles and get its
advice.
So the governor sent a messenger to Delphi to ask the oracle what
should be done with the tripod. The merchant and the fishermen waited
impatiently till the answer came. And this is what the oracle said:--
"Give not the merchant nor the fishermen the prize; But give it to
that one who is wisest of the wise."
The governor was much pleased with this answer.
"The prize shall go to the man who deserves it most," he said. "There
is our neighbor, Thales,[Footnote: Thales (pro. tha'leez).] whom
everybody knows and loves. He is famous all over the world. Men come
from every country to see him and learn from him. We will give the
prize to him."
So, with his own hands he carried the golden tripod to the little house
where Thales lived. He knocked at the door and the wise man himself
opened it.
Then the governor told him how the tripod had been found, and how the
oracle had said that it must be given to the wisest of the wise.
"And so I have brought the prize to you, friend Thales."
"To me!" said the astonished Thales. "Why, there are many men who are
wiser than I. There is my friend Bias [Footnote: Bi'as] of Priene.
[Footnote: Prie'ne] He excels all other men. Send the beautiful gift
to him."
So the governor called two of his trusted officers and told them to
carry the tripod to Priene and offer it to Bias.
"Tell the wise man why you bring it, and repeat to him the words of
the oracle."