How Fish Saved my Life?

 'Mulla Nasrudin Effendi', when he was in India, passed near a strange looking building, at the entrance of which a hermit was sitting. He had an air of abstraction and calm and 'Nasrudin' thought he would make some sort of contact with him. 'Surely', he thought, ' a devout philosopher like me must have something in common with this saintly individual.'

'I am a Yogi', said the anchorite, in answer to the 'Mulla's question; 'and I am dedicated to the service of all living things, especially birds and fish.'

'Pray allow me to join you,' said the 'Mulla', ' for, as I had expected, we have something in common. I am strongly attracted to your sentiments, because a fish once saved my life.'

'How pleasurably remarkable! said the Yogi; 'I shall be delighted to admit you to your company. For all my years of devotion to the cause of animals, I have never yet been privileged to attain such intimate communion with them as you. Saved your life! This amply substantiates our doctrine that all the animal kingdom is interlinked.'

So 'Nasrudin' sat with the Yogi for some weeks, contemplating his naval and learning various curious gymnastics (Yoga exercises).

At length the Yogi asked him: "If you feel able, now that we are better acquainted, to communicate to me your supreme experience with the life-saving fish, I would be more than honoured.'

'I am not sure about that,' said the 'Mulla', ' now that I have heard more about your ideas.'

But the Yogi pressed him, with tears in his eyes, calling him 'Master' and rubbing his forehead in the dust before him.

'Very well, if you insist,' said 'Nasrudin', 'though I am not quite sure whether you are ready (to use your parlance) for the revelation I have to make. The fish certainly saved my life. I was on the verge of starvation when I caught it. It provided me with food for three days.'