FISHING IN THE SEINE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XL, Issue 9189, 17 September 1891, Page 4

FISHING IN THE SEINE.

This ancient story, by Adelina V. Pond, is 300 years old, and to see it set out with rare pictures my young friends cannot do better than get a peep at " St. Nicholas" for July last. Sing a song of angle-worms, pockets full of rain, Four and-twenty fishermen a-fisbing in the Seine ; : If the Seine had any fish, and they began to bite Wouldn't all those fishermen be in a pretty fright ? I asked an ancient appleman, who sat behind hi? stand, I How long thought he it needs must be before I some fish they'd land. "Good sir," replied the ancient man, and wiped a tear away, 3^ " Belike in half-a-hundred yearfif you have time to stay !" Just then the strangest thing occurred that ever heart could wish, The fattest of the fishermen declared he felt a fish ! And many scoffed thereat, but he continued to be firm In stating that a goodly fish did nibble at the worm. "If he speaks sooth," the people cried, in one united breath, " The King and all his councillors should be here at the death ;" They bade the crier ring his bell, the fisher stay his hand ; I' A prize to him who'll guess aright what kind of fish he'll land !" Quoth one (the corner one), "a carpi" Another cried in dudgeon (Their portraits you will see below), " I say 't will be a gudgeon 1" i The third declared 't would be a sole, unless all signs did fail ; i And one (that rather bumptiouß boy) felt sure 'twould be a whale. The ancient appleman alone had no fair t word to say, ■ v But wagged his head" full solemnly, in sixteenth century way. " I've vended applfitf hereabout for five and fifty year, And never have I seen a fish in all their fishing here !" Meanwhile, the King, his crowa awry, came puffing in hot haste, And all the councillors, their coats unbuttoned at the waist ; The crier gave the signal, and the bugler ' loudly blew, ! And then the fattest fisherman hauled in — a worn-out shoe ! Thereat the people waxed full wroth, and j many cried " For shame !" But when they, stopped to think, they caw that no one was to blame. As for the prize, that king so wise decided on the whole, To give a part of it to him who guessed 't would be a sole. For he was partly right, at least ; the rest were wholly wrong. An act of justice that so pleased that sixteenth century throng, That, save the appleman, they all threw up their caps for joy, And no one wept a tear, except the rather bumptious boy. j Now, that you may believe my|tale I put here in the book, The pictures that I drew of all, exactly as they look ; The fattest fisherman, perhaps, should be a trifle fatter, And then the king — you know these kings ! -tho king I had to flatter. GOOD MAXIMS. Never be idle. When your hands are not usefully em- , ployed, attend to the cultivation of your mind. Always speak the truth. Keep good company or none at all. Make few promises. , ' Live up to your engagements. When you speak to a person, look in his face, Good company and excellent conversation are the sinews of virtue. Good character is above everything else in the world. What pen ought never to be used for writing ? A sheep pen. Why is a fish-hook like the letter F ? It will make an eel feel. What is the difference between Charon's boat and the oldest hen in existence ? The one is a foul old wherry and the other a werry old fowl.