CHAP in. THE THIRD DAY. 53 



your hook, and let your hook hang a quarter of a yard short of 

 the water, to which end you must rest your rod on some bough 

 of the tree. But it is likely the chubs will sink down towards 

 the bottom of the water at the first shadow of your rod (for 

 chub is the fearfulest of fishes), and will do so if but a bird flies 

 over him and makes the least shadow on the water. But they 

 will presently rise up to the top again, and there lie soaring till 

 some shadow affrights them again. I say, when they lie upon 

 the top of the water, look out the best chub (which you, setting 

 yourself in a fit place, may very easily see), and move your rod 

 as softly as a snail moves, to that chub you intend to catch ; let 

 your bait fall gently upon the water three or four inches before 

 him, and he will infallibly take the bait. And you will be as 

 sure to catch him ; for he is one of the leather-mouthed fishes, 

 of which a hook does scarce ever lose its hold ; and therefore 

 give him play enough before you offer to take him out of the 

 water. Go your way presently ; take my rod and do as I bid 

 you ; and I will sit down and mend my tackling till you return 

 back. 



VEN. Truly, my loving master, you have offered me as fair 

 as I could wish. I'll go, and observe your directions. 



Look you, master, what I have done, that which joys my 

 heart, -caught just such another chub as yours was. 



Pise. Marry, and I am glad of it : I am like to have a 

 towardly scholar of you. I now see that with advice and 

 practice, you will make an angler in a short time. liay^e but 

 a lovgjo it: and T; ] ] *r*ant you. 



*vEN. But, master, what if I could not have found a grass- 

 hopper ? 



PlSC. Then I may tell you that a black snail, with his belly 

 slit to show his white, or a piece of soft cheese, will usually do 

 as well. Nay, sometimes a worm, or any kind of fly, as the 

 ant-fly, the flesh-fly, or wall-fly; or the dor or beetle, which you 

 may find under cow-dung, or a bob, which you will find in the 

 same place, and in time will be a beetle; it is a short white 

 worm, like to and bigger than a gentle, or a cod-worm, or a 

 case-worm, any of these will do very well to fish in such a 



