134 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



But before I proceed farther, I am to tell you, that there is 

 a great antipathy betwixt the Pike and some frogs ; and this 

 may appear to the reader of Dubravius, a bishop in Bohemia,* 

 who, in his book Of Fish and Fish-ponds, relates what he says 

 he saw with his own eyes, and could not forbear to tell the 

 reader ; which was : 



" As he and the Bishop Thurzo were walking by a large 

 pond in Bohemia, they saw a frog, when the Pike lay very 

 sleepily and quiet by the shore side, leap upon his head; and 

 the frog having expressed malice or anger by his swoln cheeks 

 and staring eyes, did stretch out his legs and embraced the 

 Pike's head, and presently reached them to his eyes, tearing, 

 with them and his teeth, those tender parts : the Pike, moved 

 with anguish, moves up and down the water, and rubs himself 

 against w r eeds and whatever he thought might quit him of his 

 enemy ; but all in vain, for the frog did continue to ride 

 triumphantly, and to bite and torment the Pike till his strength 

 failed ; and then the frog sunk with the Pike to the bottom of the 

 water : then presently the frog appeared again at the top, and 

 croaked, and seemed to rejoice like a conqueror, after which he 

 presently retired to his secret hole. The bishop, that had 

 beheld the battle, called his fisherman to fetch his nets, and by 

 all means to get the Pike, that they might declare what had 

 happened : and the Pike was drawn forth, and both his eyes 

 eaten out, at which when they began to wonder, the fisherman 

 wished them to forbear, and assured them he was certain that 

 Pikes were often so served." 



I told this, which is to be read in the sixth chapter of the 

 [first] book of Dubravius, unto a friend, who replied, " It was 

 as improbable as to have the mouse scratch out the cat's eyes." 

 But he did not consider, that there be fishing frogs, which the 

 Dalmatians call the Water-devil, of which I might tell you as 

 wonderful a story : but I shall tell you that it is not to be 

 doubted but that there be some frogs so fearful of the water 

 snake, that when they swim in a place in which they fear to 

 meet with him, they then get a reed across into their mouths ; 

 which, if they two meet by accident, secures the frog from the 

 strength and malice of the snake; and note, that the frog 

 usually swims the fastest of the two. 



And let me tell you, that as there be water and land frogs, 



* Janus Dubravius Scala, bishop of -Olnrntz, in Moravia, in the sixteenth 

 century, was born at Pilsen, in Bohemia. His book On Fish and Fish- 

 ponds, in which are many j leasant relations, was, in 1599, translated into 

 English, and published in quarto, by George Churchey, fellow of Lion's 

 Inn, with the title of A new Bonk of good Husbandry, rery Pleasant and of great 

 Profit both for Gentlemen and Yeomen, containing the Order and Manner of 

 Making- of 'Fish-ponds, $c. 



