CHAPTER II 



ANCIENT AND MODERN ANECDOTES 

 (FACTS, FICTION, AND FABLES) 



The pike of fiction and fancy The giant Mannheim pike The 

 Cambridge pike The parish clerk and the Lillieshall pike 

 Pike in Sweden The union jack of Loch Tay The pike of 

 solid fact Dame Juliana Berners on the capture of pike 

 The pike and the gander. 



THE pike of solid fact and the pike of fable are two 

 separate and distinct things ; but unfortunately 

 the two have been so mixed up that the task of separating 

 them becomes well-nigh impossible. Look at the tale of 

 that giant pike that has been gravely quoted by modern 

 writers as not only having some foundation in fact, but 

 older writers give us the impression that they really 

 accepted it as being beyond the possibility of doubt. 



It was said this huge pike, which was taken from a lake 

 near Mannheim in the year 1497, ^ ac ^ a medal or an ex- 

 panding ring fastened to it, on which was recorded the 

 strange news that the fish was put in the lake by Frederick 

 the Second in the year 1232. They wished the world to 

 understand that the pike had lived no less than 250 years, 

 and had survived social and political upheavals, and 

 had seen many kings and emperors come and go. Not 

 the least remarkable feature of this astounding tale was 

 the extraordinary size the fish is said to have reached, 

 being no less than nineteen feet in length, and 350 pounds 

 in weight. So that no doubt might be cast on the state- 

 ment, its skeleton was said to be preserved in the local 



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