A MONKEY perched upon a lofty tree saw some Fishermen casting

　　their nets into a river, and narrowly watched their proceedings1.

　　The Fishermen after a while gave up fishing, and on going home to

　　dinner left their nets upon the bank. The Monkey, who is the

　　most imitative of animals, descended2 from the treetop and

　　endeavored to do as they had done. Having handled the net, he

　　threw it into the river, but became tangled3 in the meshes4 and

　　drowned. With his last breath he said to himself, "I am rightly

　　served; for what business had I who had never handled a net to

　　try and catch fish?'