Two Salmon Two salmon met in a river one day. One was going upstream, The other was coming downstream. They stopped for a moment to talk. The first salmon was old and had a deformed jaw. He asked, “Why are you going downstream?” The second salmon, who was young and agile, Answered, “Well, it’s easy. The water is flowing downstream. I’m just going with the flow. So that’s the way I go. I’m on an adventure!” The first salmon thoughtfully considered these words While he held position in the current. The second salmon eyed the first salmon suspiciously And asked, “Why are you going upstream? It makes no sense. You’re going against the flow. You’ll die of exhaustion!” The first salmon gulped and responded sincerely. “I don’t know,” he said, “ but I have to go. It’s a feeling, an urge that I can’t deny. I’m heading for a quiet, shallow place Somewhere upriver, But I don’t know where exactly. I guess I’m on an adventure, too.” The two fish circled each other several times; One torn by the current; The other torn by instinct. Finally, they waved goodbye with their pectoral fins And continued on their separate journeys. After a while, the first salmon Was surprised to encounter other salmon Who were heading upstream, too. They seemed to be attempting the impossible. They fought the rapids, Hurtled up and over cascades And even over waterfalls And around huge boulders That were blocking their way. They were cut and bruised and silly looking, But they shared their enthusiasm And gained much strength as they swam fin to fin. The downstream salmon saw many wondrous things That he would never forget, But still he followed the river. Soon he was joined by many other comrades Who were also being carried by the river. They were headed for the salty water And a chance to swim in the deep ocean Where they would grow to be big and strong And have many experiences. When the older salmon finally made it To the gravelly shallows upstream, They were absolutely spent and near death. Only the truly brave and strong had made it. In the glow of their victory, They stayed together and released their eggs and seed. Soon the corpses of dead fish lay everywhere And many other hungry animals Like bear, coyote and eagle came to feast As the weather turned colder. Moral: What goes up, goes up so that others may come down.