A Fisher's Feline Folly
Chapter 1. The creak of the morning tide rocked the old fisherman's boat, a gentle reminder of the day's task. As he worked, his companion, a large tabby cat, watched from atop a nearby crate. He had found her months ago, a scrawny waif of a creature. Now she was as fat as any barn cat.
Today he had caught more fish than usual and was pleased with his luck. As he worked to clean them for market, the cat leapt onto his shoulder and began to purr. No matter how many times he shooed her away, she always returned with the same enthusiasm. On this particular day, it seemed they had attracted an audience.
From behind the crates came a voice - gruff but gentle - that asked if they might be willing to share some of their bounty. The old fisherman looked up to see an old sailor in tattered clothing and wearing a patch over one eye. The old man explained that he had been stranded in port for weeks without money or food and was nearly desperate with hunger. The old fisherman agreed to give him some of his catch and also offered him shelter on board his boat for the night.
The sailor gratefully accepted both offers before saying goodnight and retiring to one of the lower decks with his dinner in hand. As morning dawned, however, it became apparent that something was wrong - the cat was gone! The fisherman searched everywhere but could find no trace of her until finally he heard a meow coming from beneath one of the crates on deck where they'd met the sailor the previous evening. To his surprise, there lay the old sailor fast asleep with an arm around his beloved pet!
It appeared that when his dinner ran out, he had gone back for more - unaware that it was not fish he stole but rather friendship and companionship! Seeing this act of kindness gave new life to the old fisherman and opened his heart once more to giving freely what little he had left in this world: love and companionship! With tears in his eyes, he thanked God for having sent him such an unexpected gift in an unlikely form: A Fisher's Feline Folly!
The END
