The Man Who Caught Fish

by Walter Lyon Krudop

An original tale in which a poor stranger instructs a king.

A stranger comes to a village carrying only a fishing pole. Each time he dips his line into water, he pulls out a fish. He gives away every fish, saying, "One person, one fish." The king of the land learns of this man and thinks that the stranger will surely catch him a basketful of fish. After all, he is the king. Doesn't a king deserve more than one fish a day? But the stranger has a different idea. Walter Lyon Krudop's clever story is enhanced by exquisite paintings that bring to life a long-ago Thailand and a timeless theme, the consequences of pride.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published April 20, 2000

Reviews

[Derrick]

3.5

[Danette]

10/16/17 Read with Naomi & Julia.

[ConnieLettow]

Excellent folktale from Thailand about the pride of kings who feel they deserve more than other people.

[Matthew]

There is something very satisfying about Chinese fables. Usually, it's a egomaniac king that ends up getting taught a hard lesson in humility and I have to admit that I love hard lessons in humility for any character that is too full of him or herself. I whooped happily upon finishing this story and startled my wife by accident. That self-absorbed king really had it coming.

[Jon Wilson]

Pride is addressed head on in the story of The Man Who Caught Fish. The man constantly gives one fish to each person, but the king is greedy and wants more. His wish is granted, but in a way that he does not expect. This story would be an excellent resource for talking about the consequences of pride.

[Mimi]

When reading the title, I would've never thought this book was going to deliver the message that it did. This story is set in Thailand long-ago and the king's pride has taken over his better judgement. In my classroom, I'd use this book to show students that writing doesn't have to be complicated. This book is simply written, easy to understand, and it gets a message across.

[Jodie]

Story with a moral.

[Nora]

The King causes his own downfall with his pridefulness.

[JoAlice]

love everything about the story

[Amar Pai]

I thought there would be more of a point.