The Boastful Shrimp

Once there was this boastful shrimp. He thinks he is the king of the world and that he likes to believe that the rest of the fishes that grow on the pond adore and could never be equal to him.

Everyday of his life the boastful shrimp shows-off his perfect somersaults, backstrokes and every swimming move that the fishes could never in their life do.

Every time he dives, the water flushes out of the pond.

one day, when the fishes could take no more, they decided to swim away from the boastful shrimp. The boastful shrimp was elated because he thinks that the fishes had finally given up and accepted their defeat so he dives with all his might and boast even with the pond’s water spout.

“I can spurt water higher than you do spout, so watch and
learn!” , challenged the boastful shrimp.

But the water spout did not hear his challenge - it simply did not care about the boastful shrimp.

The next day, tired from his previous days’ activities, the boastful shrimp rose up later than his usual.

“Good morning to me - the king of the world!”, he greeted his own self. When he looked around, no fish heard of his greeting and even the pond water spout dried up.

“where are my fans?”, he panicked.

“I need the water spout - I’m fast drying up!”, he shouted.

All but himself stayed away from him. He tried to soak his drying scales with his sweat and tears but even the sun strikes its heat the more, drying him up so quickly.

Then the boastful shrimp realized that he needed the fishes and the water spout but they are no longer there. He had played his last card, knowing in the moment he laid it down that it was not high enough…

“I will change, please come back!!!”

But his screaming are just echoes to the empty pond.

Then the boastful shrimp died a terrible death.