90 THE KING'S MIRROR 



Then the sea begins to bar out all violent storms and 

 make smooth highways where earlier the route was im- 

 passable because of broad billows and mighty waves; 

 and the shores offer harbors in many places which for- 

 merly gave no shelter. Now, while this covenant holds, 

 there will be fair sailing for you or any others who wish 

 to travel to foreign shores or steer their ships over the 

 perils of the ocean. It is, therefore, the duty of every man, 

 indeed it is a necessary one, to learn thoroughly when 

 one may look for dangerous seasons and bad routes, or 

 when times come when one may risk everything. For 

 even unwitting beasts observe the seasons, though by 

 instinct, since they have no intellect. Even the fishes, 

 though lacking human insight, know how to find secu- 

 rity in the deep seas, while the winter storms are most 

 violent; but when winter wanes, they move nearer the 

 shores and find enjoyment as after a sorrow suffered and 

 past. Later in the spring after the roe has come, they 

 lay the spawn and bring forth a vast multitude of young 

 fishes and in this way increase their race, each after its 

 kind and class. It does, indeed, show great forethought 

 for unintelligent creatures to provide so carefully against 

 the coming winter storms, and to bring forth their off- 

 spring at the opening of spring, so that they may enjoy 

 the calm weather of summer and search for food in 

 peace and quiet along the wide shores; for thus they 

 gather strength enough in summer against the ensuing 

 winter to sustain themselves among other fishes in the 

 chilly deep. 



The covenant brings joy to the sky as well as to the 

 sea; for as spring advances the birds soaring high into 



