The Monkey and the Fishermen

A monkey perched on a tall tree, on seeing fishermen casting their net in a river, watched how they worked. At a certain point, leaving their net there, they withdrew some distance to have their lunch. Then the monkey, coming down from his tree, tried to do as they did; for this creature has, they say, the instinct of imitation. But when he had touched the nets, he got caught in them and found himself in danger of drowning. He then said to himself, "I have only what I deserve: why did I try to fish, without having learned?"