A Pile of Things

The little blue Acara fish swam this way and that. He rolled sandstones along the ocean floor, scooting them towards his cave.
Pogi Fish thought long and hard about what Ganda Fish had shown him about saving seaweed for times of trouble. She stored away seaweed for a cold day. Pogi gathered up as many sandstones as he could, pooling them around his fish cave. As he worked on his cave, Ganda Fish approached.
“My heavens, what a collection of shells and stones you have.”
“I’m building a fence around my cave,” said Pogi.
“It’s very large,” replied Ganda Fish.
“It isn’t large enough,” said Pogi as he continued gathering stones and shells for his cave.
Ganda Fish watched as Pogi built his wall higher and higher.
“Why are you building it so high?” asked Ganda Fish.
“I want to have all the shells and stones, just in case.”
“Silly Pogi, there are enough stones and shells for every fish in the ocean.”
“I was just doing what you were doing with the seaweed.”
“I was only taking what I needed for Winter time,” replied Ganda.
“But what if someone wants my stones and shells?”
“Then let them have them. Why do you need a wall that high anyway?”
“I’m protecting the stuff inside my family’s cave.”
“You have more inside your cave?”
“Of course! Come and see!”
Gandafish followed Pogi into the front area of the cave. A pile of shiny baubles littered the floor of the cave.
“I found a rusty key, a bottle cap, a funny looking stick…”
“Why do you need such things?”
“You never know what may happen,” replied Pogi.
“When would you need to use a bottle cap?”
Pogi placed his left dorsal fin upon his chin and rubbed it while he thought. Meanwhile, Ganda folded her fins across her chest and waited for a reply.
“I could use it as a rake or a table or a hat,” replied Pogi as he demonstrated each and every use.
“A hat?”
“Yes, a hat, see?”
Pogifish placed the cap upon his head like a crown. He tried balancing it upon his head. Each time it slipped right off.
“I see, I see,” replied Gandafish as she chuckled at her silly little friend.
“I have more work to do,” repied Pogi.
“Okay, I will leave you alone,” replied Ganda.
As Ganda swam back to her own home, Pogi continued to gather sheels and stones for his wall. He built a wall so secure that he was sure nobody could break in and steal his stuff.
As he stopped to admire his great work, his father swam up.
“Look what I did!”
“I see what you did. Now, how are we going to undo it?”
“What do you mean?” said Pogifish sadly.
“I am much too big to slip through the cave opening now. We’ll have to tear it down, stone-by-stone.”
“How will I keep my things safe?”
“What things do we need to keep safe?”
“I have a brand new collection of things. I have some sand dollars, a crab’s claw, some pieces of coral, and…”
Papa Fish glanced this way and that.
“Son, let me show you something…” said Papa fish as he led Pogi around the cave.
“What is it?”
“Look here and look there. What do you see?”
“Stones and shells…”
“I also see sand dollars and some old crab shells and coral of all shapes and sizes. Why on earth do we need these inside our home? They will only take up space.”
“That’s what my friend Gandafish says.”
“I think Gandafish is a smart one,” replied Papa.
“I guess you’re right, Papa.”
Papa Fish helped Pogifish clear away the things that blocked their way into the Acara’s cave. Pogi also replaced the crab claws and sand dollars and the rusty key and all the other things but one.
“Papa, can I keep this bottle cap?” asked Pogi.
“Why would you want this bottle cap?”
“I think it would look nice in my room.”
“Okay, I guess you can keep it,” said Papa.So Pogifish took his one keepsake and put it in his part of the cave. He decided to use it as a special pillow. The metal surface was soft and smooth. When Pogi rested his belly upon it, it felt cold, yet comfortable. That one bottle cap, he thought, was just enough for him.

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MORAL: Earth provides enough for every man's need, but not every man's greed – Mohandas Gandhi