things you know more than you do if you only know land things. There's
three times as much sea as land in the world, and so, of course,
sea-sages are three times as wise as land-sages. What's more, you who
live on the land don't begin to hear of a half of a millionth part of
the things that happen under the sea, while we who live under the sea
can get all the land news we want by tapping your Atlantic cable."

"Why, so you can," said Jimmieboy. "I never thought of that."

"Of course you didn't. You haven't got the kind of mind that thinks that
kind of thoughts," sneered the merboy. "You people think you are great
when you are able to sit at your breakfast tables in New York on Friday
morning and talk about what has happened in London that same Friday
afternoon--and it is rather smart to be able to do that, I admit--but
what do you know about what has been going on in Sealadelphia, or
Sharkargo, or Whalington, or Moss-bunkerton? Not a thing, I'll warrant.
But these sea creatures know all you know, and all their own news
besides. So, you see, when a land-sage begins swapping knowledge with a
sea-sage he finds himself 'way behind."

"And what was the story about the Porpoise and the Land-sage?" asked
Jimmieboy.

"Well, as I remember it," said the merboy, "it went this way:

"THE PORPOISE AND THE LAND-SAGE.

"A Land-sage once, who thought he knew
All that there was to know,
Went out to sea without a crew,
And floated to and fro.
And then, before he was aware
Just what he was about,
A fearful wind did straightway tear
His jib and mainsail out.

"I'm all at sea!" he moaned and cried;
"Oh dear, what shall I do!
Would that I'd never come outside
Without my gallant crew."
Just as he spoke a Porpoise came.
The Land-sage cried, "What, ho!
Where are you from, and what's your name?
Hullo there, you! Hullo!"

"What do you wish?" the Porpoise said
In accents soft and meek.
"I'd like to be at home in bed--
What language do you speak?"
"Sea-doggerel," the Porpoise then
Made answer with a grin,
"Unless I speak with Englishmen,
And then I speak in Finn."

"Perhaps," the Land-sage then observed,
"You can enlighten me
By telling me-- I'm much unnerved--
Just where I chance to be."
"Of course I can," the fish said. "You,
I think 'tis very clear,
Are out of sight of Manitou
And just about off here."

"Pray do not mock m