Long ago, in the State of Song, there stood a city gate. Outside the gate lay a moat, where fish lived a peaceful and happy life.
One day, the tower above the city gate caught fire, alarming the townspeople. The commotion even reached the fish in the moat.
"What is all that noise?" the fish wondered. "I must go and see," said a curious black carp. Upon seeing the blazing tower, he rushed back to warn his mates. "Swim for your lives! Swim as fast as you can!" he cried. "The city gate is on fire!"
All the fish except the carps began to flee. One arrogant carp even laughed at them. "Do not laugh," urged the kind black carp. "You should escape too, while there is still time."
"Why should I?" retorted the arrogant carp. "It's their city gate burning. What does that have to do with me in the water?" The fire spread rapidly, and the firefighters soon used up all the water in the city. Yet, the fire raged on. So, they began to fetch water from the moat.
Finally, the fire was extinguished, but the moat was drained dry, leaving a few pitiful carps in their dying struggle. This tale compares the city gate fire to disasters that may seem distant but can spread and ensnare even the innocent.