THE THREE LITTLE FISHES. A TALE. ON the fide of a hill, ran a clear river in which lived three filver trouts, the prettieft little fishes that ever were seen. Now God took a great liking to these filver trouts, and let them want for nothing that fuch little fifhes could have occafion for. But two of them grew fad and difcontented; the one wifhed for this thing, and the other for that, and neither of them could take pleasure in any thing because they were always wanting fomething they had had not. You will allow this was very naughty in those two trouts, for God had been exceedingly kind; they had every thing fit for them, and were never de barred what appeared for their good; but instead of thanking him for all his care and kindness, they blamed him in their own minds for refufing them any thing their filly fancies were fet upon; in short, there was no end of their wishing, and longing, in their hearts, for what they had not; this at last so provoked the Almighty, that he was refolved to punish them by granting their defires, and make the folly of thofe two little ftubborn trouts, an example to all the foolish fifh in the world. For this purpose he called out to the three filver trouts, and told them they should have whatever they, wished for. The eldest of these trouts was very proud and wanted to be fet up above all other little fifhes. "May it please your C 8 Great. nefs, nefs," faid he, "I must be free to tell you, I do not at all like the way in which you have placed me. Here you have fixed me in a poor narrow and troublesome river, where I am ftraitened on the right fide, and on the left, and can neither get down into the ground, nor up into the air, nor do any one thing I have a mind to. I am not fo blind but I can fee how kind and bountiful you can be to others. Your favourite little birds can fly this way, and that, or mount up to the very heavens, and do whatever ́they please, because you have given them wings. Give me fuch wings as you have given them." His wifh was granted; he felt the wings growing from either fide, and in a minute he fpread them abroad and rofe out of the water: At first he found a wonderful pleafure in being able to fly; he mounted into the air above the clouds, and looked down with fcorn on all the fishes in the world. He He now refolved to travel far and wide; he flew over rivers, and meadows, woods and mountains, till growing faint with hunger and thirst, his wings began to fail him and he thought it best to come down fome refreshment. to get The little fool did not confider that he was now in a ftrange country, and many a mile from the fweet river where he was born and bred; when he came down he happened to light among dry fands and rocks, where there was not a bit to eat nor a drop to drink: he lay faint and tired, unable to rise, gafping, fluttering, and beating himself against the ftones, till at length he died in great pain and misery. The fecond filver trout, though he was not fo high minded as the firft, yet did not want for conceit enough, and was a narrow hearted and selfish little fifth, who provided he himself was fafe, did not care what became of all other fishes. *May it please your Honour," faid he, "I don't wish, not I, for wings to fly out of the water and to ramble into frange places where I do not know what may become of me: I lived contented and happy enough till the other day, when, as I got under a cool bank from the heat of the fun, I saw a great rope coming down into the water, and it faftened itfelf I don't know how about the gills of a little fish, that was bafking befide me, and he was lifted out of the water ftruggling and working in great pain, till he was carried I know not where, quite out of my fight. I thought in my own mind that this evil fome time or other might happen to myself, my heart trembled within me, and I have been very fad and difcontented ever since. What I defire of you is, that you will tell me the meaning of this, and of all the other dangers to which you have subjected us poor little mortal fishes; for then |