Two big fish lived, Sahar and Satwa, in a large pond, and they were close friends with the frog Ikhbari. They spent a lot of time with him on the edge of the pond, and they had a large net and a big boat with them, which were full of fish they had caught. During the evenings, a few fishermen came to catch fish on the pond, and they had a net and a big boat with them, which were full of fish they had caught.
While they were passing by the pond, they noticed the pond was not very deep at all, and it seemed full of fish. One of them said to the others: “Let’s come here tomorrow morning, for this pond is not deep at all, and it seems full of fish. Let’s discover the fish in this pond.”
So they agreed to return in the morning of the next day and continue their journey. But the fish didn’t care much about the frog Ikhbari’s words. One fish said to him: “Oh my friend, these are just conversations of a few fishermen who pass by the pond. So don’t worry, because they won’t come, and even if they do come to catch us, I know a thousand movements of the fishermen which are limited to them, and I’ll deceive myself and my family too.”
As for the second fish, she became angry at them: “As for me, I’m truly sorry for movements of fishermen as I always learn, and I’ll save myself and my family too. And I support your opinion, oh my sister, because I won’t abandon our grandparents’ home just for the sake of conversations of a few passing fishermen.”
But the frog Ikhbari wasn’t convinced at all, and he said to them: “Oh friends, you must decide what we must do to protect ourselves, whether we flee the pond or hide, for the fishermen have agreed that they will return tomorrow morning!”
But the two fish didn’t listen to him much. They continued their journey and went to a place far away, and in the morning, the fishermen came and found their boat and all their nets in all parts of the pond. They had a big boat and caught many fish, frogs, crabs, and sea scorpions and lobsters of the sea. They carried them, fed them, and treated them well. So they were proud and boasted with their display, and they traded them with them or sold them.
As for the two largest fish the fishermen had caught, they amazed them and isolated them from the other fish, and they took care of them and guarded them well. So they envied them and gave them pride and boasting about their display.
At the same time, the frog Ikhbari had gone to the top of the well to look for the direction of the pond to see what happened. And when he saw the fishermen leaving with their friends’ large boat, he became extremely sad. And he said to his wife: “Our two beautiful wives were killed miserably, but the other fishermen came with their big boat. And they caught them all without any difficulty. And I know some movements of fishermen’s cunning that have no limit to her, and I’ll deceive myself and my family. But I won’t abandon our grandparents’ home just for the sake of conversations of a few passing fishermen.”
And his wife said to him: “Indeed, oh my husband, I’m confused! What are you saying? Does it mean you’ll abandon our home and go away? Tell me!”
Ikhbari answered her: “No, I won’t leave our home at all. But I’m hungry in extreme thirst, so I’m going down the well to look for the direction of the pond to see what happened.”
(Story translated from: Two Fishes and a Frog)