to him:--"Keep your bristles on, old prawn" and ran off after the whelk.
"Nothing really matters," thought he, "and as I feel a bit peckish I may
as well eat up friend whelk and the blue pointlet 'll come in for a
light breakfast in the morning." The cowardly whelk, reading the crab's
evil intention in his eyes offered him the baby oyster. "Thanks, old
flint," said the crab, "I'll have you first and the youngster another
time," and he pounced on the whelk and ate him right up. But as he was
crawling off in great comfort the old lobster overtook him and in no
time polished him off. The lobster, now too contented to move quickly,
was slowly returning to the water when up came the conger-eel who,
without any delay, proceeded to strangle him and then to gobble him up.
After her feast, the old girl, in her turn, felt drowsy. "I think," said
she, "I now deserve a nap," and she lay down in a pool and went fast
asleep. Presently the whale came along, having been hunting for the
conger all over the place. As soon as he caught sight of her he roared
in his wrath, "Is this what you call keeping your bargain?" and with one
gulp he bolted her,--head, fins, tail and all.

'Then, having accomplished his revenge, and at the same time satisfied
his appetite, his contentment was complete and he rolled over on his
side in the shallow water, and fell into a deep sleep.

'Now, thought I, is this not providential? Is there not here not merely
the evening meal I left my cave to seek, but many meals for my good wife
and children,--enough in fact to ward off hunger throughout the winter
that is now fast approaching. Taking up a great rock I hurled it with
all my force at the head of the whale and killed it on the spot. I now
proceeded to cut up the great creature and carry it, piece by piece, to
my cave, and that very night, when it was all safely stowed, we cooked
one great steak for supper, waking the children in order that they might
share the meal, and the remainder my good wife preserved in brine. Thus
in comfort we lived the winter through.

'The little oyster found its way back to its mother, and so grateful
were they both for my endeavours to help them, that they took up their
abode with us. Bertram grew to a fine chubby blue point. "Just like his
father," said the proud mother, and nothing reached our hearts so nearly
as his playful, charming ways.'

[Illustration: tailpiece]

[Illustration: vignette]

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