There was a fish with golden scales in a lotus pond. All the fishes in the pond envied the fish whenever its scales reflected light. The fish with golden scales was intoxicated with the beauty of her own scales. She took a quiet way in case her scales might wear out.
With her contemptuous attitude, the other fishes began to keep away from her. Now fishes had no interest in her golden scales, and she became a single ripened chestnut in the pond. She was feeling so sad. Even when there was a festival in the village of fishes, she couldn't help watch the scene. She just could not ask them to count her in.
She was getting to find out her mistake she had made. It was of no use to have golden scales if there was no friend around her. At that time, a fish who had just moved to the pond came close to her. "Hi, you look so beautiful. But why are you having sad facial expression?" The fish with golden scales, who had been so lonely, made friends with him.
One day, the fish asked, "My friend, can you give me one of your lovely scales? I want to keep it." She, who was hesitating for a little while, decided to tear one off and gave it to him. When she saw her friend who was happy with the golden scale, she felt happy beyond comparison with the pain when tearing off her scale. After watching the scene, other fishes in the pond began to clamor for her golden scales.
The fish with golden scales did not refuse it, and she shared her golden scales with other fishes. She finally had no golden scale at all. Now, she looked like the other fishes in the pond. But she did not feel lonely any more, for fishes came back to her. After that, the whole pond beautifully glittered whenever the individual golden scale of the fishes reflected light.