A Bat, a Bramble, and a Seagull went into partnership and determined to go on a trading voyage together. The Bat borrowed a sum of money for his venture; the Bramble laid in a stock of clothes of various kinds; and the Seagull took a quantity of lead: and so they set out. By and by a great storm came on, and their boat with all the cargo went to the bottom, but the three travellers managed to reach land. Ever since then the Seagull flies to and fro over the sea, and every now and then dives below the surface, looking for the lead he's lost; while the Bat is so afraid of meeting his creditors that he hides away by day and only comes out at night to feed; and the Bramble catches hold of the clothes of every one who passes by, hoping some day to recognise and recover the lost garments.
All men are more concerned to recover what they lose than to acquire what they lack.
蝙蝠、荆棘和海鸥成了朋友，决定一起出海旅行。为了这次冒险，蝙蝠借了一些钱，荆棘带上了各种各样的衣服，而海鸥则带了铅锤，然后他们就出门了。结果，没多久，他们遇上了一场暴风雨，他们的船和上面的货物全都沉到了海底。不过三个旅行者挣扎着爬上了岸。从那以后，海鸥便总是在海面上飞来飞去，时不时地潜入水下，想要寻找自己丢了的铅锤。而蝙蝠害怕遇到债主，便总是白天藏起来，夜晚才会出门。荆棘则把每一个过路人的衣服挂住，希望有一天能够重获失去的衣服。
训诫：相比去获得自己所缺少的东西，人们总是更期望重新找回失去的东西。