Upon a certain island in the middle of the sea lived a fisherman and his wife. They were so poor they often went without bread when the fishing did not go well. One day when the man had been fishing for many hours without any luck, he hooked a small golden fish with eyes as bright as diamonds. “Let me go, kind fisherman,” the little creature cried. “I would not even make a single mouthful for your dinner.” The man was so moved by the beauty of the golden fish that he let him go. Before he swam away, the fish promised that he would come back if the fisherman ever needed help.
Why did the fisherman let the fish go?