“The Story of Three Fishes” is a popular tale from the Panchatantra, an ancient Indian collection of interrelated animal fables in Sanskrit. The story conveys lessons about wisdom, foresight, and the consequences of different approaches to life.

The Story of Three Fishes

Once upon a time, in a pond, there lived three fishes who were close friends. They were named Anagatavidhata (Heedful), Pratyutpannamati (Resourceful), and Yadbhavishya (Fatalist). Each fish had a different attitude towards life and its challenges.

Anagatavidhata was the wisest of the three. He always planned for the future and believed in being prepared for any situation. Pratyutpannamati was intelligent and could think quickly on his feet, often devising clever solutions to problems as they arose. Yadbhavishya, on the other hand, was laid-back and fatalistic, believing that whatever was destined to happen would happen, and there was no need to worry about the future.

One day, some fishermen passing by the pond noticed it was teeming with fish. They decided to return the next morning to catch them.

Anagatavidhata overheard their conversation and immediately warned his friends. He advised them to leave the pond that very night and swim to a safer place. Pratyutpannamati and Yadbhavishya listened to him.

Pratyutpannamati agreed with Anagatavidhata but believed they could wait until morning and then find a way to escape if necessary. Yadbhavishya, however, dismissed the warning, saying that he would deal with whatever happened, trusting fate to protect him.

That night, Anagatavidhata swam out of the pond and found a new, safer place to live. Pratyutpannamati stayed but remained alert, thinking of possible escape plans. Yadbhavishya went to sleep, unconcerned about the future.

The next morning, the fishermen returned and cast their nets. Pratyutpannamati quickly thought of a plan and played dead, allowing himself to be thrown out of the net with other debris. Once free, he swam away to safety. Yadbhavishya, caught unprepared, struggled and was caught by the fishermen.