64 FISHES OF FANCY. 



herds of cattle and flocks of goats and sheep, were swal- 

 lowed in the waters." 



But why can we not find some friendly fish, in all this 

 host of friendly fishes, to clear up some of our water myste- 

 ries ? What, for instance, is the meaning of this story from 

 the Arabic : "A traveller near the Caspian Sea saw some 

 fishermen catch a large fish and perforate its ears, when 

 suddenly a ruddy-coloured maiden, of a beautiful counte- 

 nance, with long hair, came out of one ear, began to smite 

 her cheeks and to tear her hair. God, the Creator, had 

 provided her with a short white apron, which extended 

 from her waist to her knees." And what fish was it that 

 gave its shell, six fathoms long and three in breadth, to 

 make a bridge across the palace-moat of the King of the 

 Genii ; and what was the monster, " resembling a green 

 meadow," on which Sindbad and his fellow- voyagers landed 

 to cook their meals, and to which we are indebted for all 

 Sindbad's subsequent adventures? What were the fish 

 that ate the bitumen that flowed from the Inaccessible 

 Mountain and returned it to the waves as ambergris, or 

 the others that so pleased the fair Persian when the Caliph 

 played at being Fisherman ? What was the sea-beast 

 St. Margaret overcame, or that other with which Beorwulf 

 fought for a night and a day ? Can any one tell me the 

 species of Thiodvitnir's fish that plunges everlastingly in 

 the roaring Thund ? 



