"The Fisherman and the Sunken Fortune."

 "The Fisherman and the Sunken Fortune."

A fisherman by the name of Md. Abdulla al Mamun used to reside in a little, peaceful village that was tucked away on the Bay of Bengal's glittering shore. Abdulla had a reputation for having a strong work ethic and a close bond with the water. He would take to his little wooden boat and head out into the wide open waters every morning before the sun began to rise. His family had been fishermen for centuries, and he was a genius at reading the winds and waves.

Abdulla led a modest yet happy existence. He cherished the sound of the waves crashing against his boat, the rhythm of the sea, and the salty wind caressing his skin.
Typically, he would catch a meager amount of fish, enough to provide for his family and make a small profit at the market. However, Abdulla was content since he thought the sea gave him all he needed.

Abdulla got an odd sensation when he threw his net into the water one day. The net weighed a great deal more than any catch he had ever brought in before. His heart pounded with both excitement and a hint of terror. What may that be? He started to bring the net in with a lot of effort. When he eventually plucked it out of the water, he was shocked to see that it was filled with something that glinted in the sunshine rather than fish.

Gold. Gold coins, shiny and glistening as if they had just been struck, were tucked inside the net. Abdulla's mind raced as he gazed at the wealth. How is that possible? From where did it originate? Though he had heard tales of lost ships and hidden riches, he never thought he would come upon something of this nature in his lifetime.

Abdulla was initially overcome with happiness. This was more wealth than he could have imagined. At last, he could provide his family with all their dreams and desires. He could purchase new clothing, a larger house, and maybe even a larger boat. There were countless options.
As the days went by, Abdulla discovered that the gold didn't bring him any calm. His worries over what to do with the riches kept him up at night. If word got out, he was afraid that someone else would try to steal it from him or that his quiet community would have problems. The gold seemed like a curse now, even if it had seemed like a godsend before.

Abdulla came to a realization one evening as he was sitting on the beach and gazing out to sea. He had always received provision from the ocean, but never more than he could have used. Maybe this gold was a test, a means to determine if he would stay loyal to himself or give in to greed.
Abdulla took a deep breath and decided. He headed off in his boat again early the following morning, before the sun had risen. Piece by piece, he threw the gold back into the sea as soon as he arrived at the open, deep ocean. He got a peculiar feeling of relief as if a heavy weight had been lifted off his shoulders, as he saw the final penny fall beneath the waves. Abdulla was happy with his basic existence and went fishing as he usually did from that day forward. In return, the sea bestowed upon him an abundance of fish, sufficient to sustain his family and the village's food needs. Even though he never saw the gold again, he was confident in his decision. He came to see that the actual value was not wealth but rather the serenity that comes with leading a morally upright and modest life.