OLLA PODRIDA 261 



manic proportions, made all the others seem like 

 infants. The boy could and did catch some of 

 these bass, but the prize fish maintained a tanta- 

 lizing indifference to all that was offered. Once 

 or twice he had rubbed his nose against a fat min- 

 now that was dangled directly in front of him, but 

 usually he treated the most enticing morsel with 

 utter disdain. The boy had exhausted his reper- 

 toire of attractions, when, on a certain morning, 

 he made his way to the bridge with the fixed pur- 

 pose to ignore the big bass and devote himself 

 to more responsive members of that family. As 

 he trudged along the road he noticed an apple- 

 peeling that had been cast away by some passer-by. 

 A part of it was brilliant red. An idea popped 

 into the lad's mind, only to be turned out of doors 

 as absurd. But it would not stay outside. Again 

 and again it returned asking hospitality, but the 

 boy was firm and continued on his way. Once 

 more, as he fished, that preposterous idea thrust 

 itself upon him, and finally he retraced his steps 

 and picked up the apple-peeling. Going back to 

 the bridge, he fastened a piece of the red peeling 

 to his hook, red side down, stood well out of sight 

 of the fish, and began wiggling his pole in such 

 a way that the brilliant peeling was compelled to 

 dance a jig on the surface of the water. Only a 

 moment of suspense, and then came a strike that 

 almost carried him off his feet. Was it the big 

 one? The pole bent until it threatened to snap 



