1 66 rje JLittlt iFlobJtrs of 



clofe befide the fea ; and Handing thus 

 upon the fhore betwixt fea and ftream, he 

 began to fpeak in the guife of a fermon in 

 the Name of God unto the fifhes : " Hear 

 the Word of God, ye fifhes of the fea and of 

 the ftream, fince heretics and infidels are 

 loath to liften to it ; " and having uttered 

 thefe words, fuddenly there came towards 

 him fo great a multitude of fifhes, great, 

 fmall, and middle-fized, as had never been 

 feen in that fea, or in that ftream, or of 

 the people round about ; and all held their 

 heads up out of the water, and all turned 

 attentively towards the face of Saint An- 

 tony, and the greateft peace and meeknefs 

 and order prevailed : infomuch that next 

 the fhore ftood the leffer fifh, and after 

 them came the middle fifh, and ftill after 

 them, where the water was deepeft, ftood 

 the larger fifh. The fifh being thus ranged 

 in order. Saint Antony began folemnly to 

 preach, fpeaking thus : " My Brothers the 

 fifh, you are greatly bounden, fo far as in 

 you lies, to thank your Creator that He 

 hath given you fo noble an element for 

 your habitation ; fo that at your pleafure 

 you have frefh waters and fait ; and He 

 hath given you many fhelters againft ftorm. 



He 



