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THE GOLDEN TRIPOD 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 . 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 .
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