Читать книгу Tales of Laughter - Группа авторов - Страница 24

Table of Contents

The Fishes once grew very discontented because no order was kept in their dominions. None turned aside for the others, but each swam right or left just as it pleased him, sometimes between those who wished to be together, or else pushed them to one side, and the stronger ones gave the weaker blows with their tails, which made them get out of the way as fast as they could, or else they devoured them without more ceremony. “How nice it would be,” thought the Fishes, “if we had a king who should exercise the power of judging between us!” And so at last they assembled together to choose a lord, who should be he who could swim the quickest and render help best to the weaker fishes.

So they laid themselves all in rank and file by the shore, and the Pike gave a signal with his tail, on which they started off. Like an arrow darted away the Pike, closely followed by the Herring, the Gudgeon, the Perch, the Carp, and the rest. Even the Sole swam among them, hoping to gain the prize.

All at once a cry was heard, “The Herring is first, the Herring is first!” “Who is first?” asked the flat, envious Sole in a vexed tone. “Who is first?”

“The Herring, the Herring!” was the reply. “The nak-ed Herring, the nak-ed Herring!” cried the Sole disdainfully.

And ever since that time the Sole’s mouth has been all awry as a punishment for his wicked envy.