rel. "We needn't fish
here any more. How they will mock us in the village for staying out so
late, and bringing home so little!"

"Let us try again," said Civil, as he set his creel of mackerel in the
boat.

"Not another cast will I make to-night;" and what more Sour would have
said, was cut short by the great fish, for, looking round at them, it
spoke out:

"I suppose you don't think me worth taking home in your dirty boat; but
I can tell you that if you were down in my country, neither of you would
be thought fit to keep me company."

Sour and Civil were very much surprised to hear the fish speak. The
first could not think of a cross word to say, but Civil made answer in
his usual way.

"Indeed, my lord, we beg your pardon, but our boat is too light to carry
such a fish as you."

"You do well to call me lord," said the fish, "for so I am, though it
was hard to expect you could have known how great I was in this dress.
However, help me off the rock, for I must go home; and for your civil
way of speaking I will give you my daughter in marriage, if you will
come and see me this day twelvemonth."

Civil helped the great fish off the rock with as great respect as his
fear would allow him. Sour was so frightened at the whole business, that
he said not a word till they got safe home. But from that day forward,
when he wanted to put Civil down, it was his custom to tell him and his
mother that he would get no wife but the ugly fish's daughter.

Old Dame Sour heard this story from her son, and told it over the whole
village. Some people wondered, but the most part laughed at it as a
good joke; and Civil and his mother were never known to be angry but on
that day. Dame Civil advised her son never to fish with Sour again; and
Civil got an old skiff which one of the fishermen was going to break up
for firewood, and cobbled it up for himself.

In that skiff he went to sea all the winter, and all the summer. But
though Civil was brave and skilful, he could catch little, because his
boat was bad--and everybody but his mother began to think him of no
value. Sour having the good boat, got a new comrade, and had the praise
of being the best fisherman.

Poor Civil's heart was getting low as the summer wore away. The fish had
grown scarce on that coast, and the fishermen had to steer farther out
to sea. One evening when he had toiled all day and caught nothing, Civil
thought he would go farther too, and try his fortune besid