The story is about a fisherman who, after a frustrating day without any catches, unexpectedly captures a turtle instead of fish. The turtle pleads for its release, promising to bring back a valuable pearl. The fisherman, overwhelmed by greed after receiving the pearl, tries to force the turtle to find him more pearls. However, the clever turtle uses the situation to escape, stating that the fisherman is being unreasonable in his demands. The tale highlights themes of greed and the idea that one should not expect more than what is agreed upon, leading to a popular saying about fairness and entitlement.

एगो मलाह रोज समुन्दर किनारे मछली मारे जा हल आठ मछरी बेच के अप्पन हाल-रोजगार चलावऽ हल। ऊ मजे में खा-पीअऽ हल। एक रोज ओकरा एक्को मछरी न मिलल। अंत में हार-दाव देख के एकतुरी कस के फिनो जाल फेंकलक, तो मछरी नऽ बझके एगो कछुआ छना गेल। मलाह कछुआ के पकड़ के ले चलल, तो ऊ गिड़गिड़ायल कि हमरा छोड़ दऽ, तो हम तोरा समुन्दर से एगो बढ़िया मोती लान के देबो! मलाह कछुआ के बात मान लेलक, आउ ओकरा मोती लावे ला समुन्दर में छोड़ देलक। कछुआ सरत के मोताबिक एगो मोती लान के मलाह के दे देलक। मोती देख के मलाह के लोभ समा गेल। से ऊ कछुआ के पकड़ लेलक, आउ तंग कैलक कि एगो आउ ओइसने मोती ला के दे, न तो मार के खा जबउ! कछुआ मलाह के इरादा समझ गेल।

फिनो कछुआ मलाह से कहलक कि अइसने मोती तो तबे आ सकऽ हे, जब एकरा साथे लेजा के मिला के खोजब। से मलाह कछुआ के ऊ चमकइत मोती दे देलक। कछुआ मुँह में मोती दबौलक आउ समुन्दर में घुस गेल। जब ऊ मलाह से ढेर दूर चल गेल, तो पानी से ऊपर बुलदे छहलायल। ओकरा देख के मलाह सरत के मोताबिक दोसरो मोती माँगलक। एकरा पर कछुआ उहईं से जोर से बोललक ''लेना एक न देना दू!'' तोरा एगो लेवे ना हउ, आउ हमरा दूगो देवे ला नऽ हे । ऊ दिन से ई एगो कहाउत बन गेल जे आज तक चलल आवइत हे।

See translation

One day, a fisherman was fishing by the sea and was running his daily livelihood by selling the fish he caught. He was enjoying his life. One day, he couldn't catch a single fish. In the end, feeling defeated, he cast his net one more time, but instead of a fish, he caught a turtle. The fisherman took the turtle with him, and the turtle begged him to let him go, promising to bring a good pearl from the sea. The fisherman agreed to the turtle's request and released it into the sea to retrieve the pearl. The turtle indeed brought back a pearl as per the fisherman's request. Seeing the pearl, the fisherman was overwhelmed with greed. So, he caught the turtle and pressed it to bring him another pearl, threatening to eat it otherwise. The turtle understood the fisherman's intention.

Then the turtle said to the fisherman that such pearls can only be found if he takes him along to search for them. So, the fisherman gave the turtle the shiny pearl. The turtle squeezed the pearl in its mouth and swam deep into the sea. When it was far away from the fisherman, it rose above the water. Seeing this, the fisherman demanded another pearl according to their agreement. The turtle shouted back, “You want one, but I won't give you two! You want to take one from me, but I have no obligation to give you two!” From that day, it became a popular saying that has continued to this day.