e stirred with her white fingers the water
in the basin of the fountain that sprang from the rock close by. Then
she looked at the Sage from under the shadow of her brows and answered,
thoughtfully:

"The Fish was stunned at first by this truth being uttered so near it.
It suddenly realized what it had done and what it had lost. 'I, who swam
about freely and showed my glittering scales in the sun, am now caught
and in a basket, with no prospect but suffocation and death in front of
me,' it said to itself. 'I could have even supported that, and the
knowledge that my scales will become dull and unattractive in the near
future, if the Fisherman had only continued to lift the lid and admire
me a little longer.' And it sighed and began to feel the sense of
suffocation. But it was a Fish of great determination and resources. 'I
have learned my lesson,' it gasped; 'the Fisherman has taught it to me
himself. Now I will make a great jump and try to get out of the basket.'

"So it jumped and opened the lid. The Fisherman stirred in his sleep and
put out his hand vaguely to close it again, but he was too sleepy to
fasten the catch, and with less noise the Fish bounced up again and
succeeded in floundering upon the grass. It lay panting and in great
distress, but it looked at the beautiful Angler with regret. He was so
beautiful and so desirable. 'I could almost stay now,' the Fish sighed.
Then it braced itself up and gave one more bound, and this time reached
the rock at the edge of the stream.

"Again the Fisherman awoke, and now casually, with his eyes still
closed, fastened up the basket before he slept again; but the Fish with
its third bound reached the river, and darted out into the middle of the
stream.

"'Good-bye, Beautiful Angler!' it said, sadly. 'You were sweet, but you
have taught me a lesson, and freedom is sweeter.'

"The splash of its reaching the water fully awakened the Fisherman, but
he saw the basket with the lid shut, and had no anxieties until his eye
caught the pink of the water where the Fish sheltered under the rock.
Its gill was still bleeding from the hook wound, and colored a circle
round it. Then he opened the lid and found the basket empty.

"'Good-bye,' said the Fish. 'Your wish has been granted, and your
pleasure can begin all over again!'

"But the Fisherman suddenly realized that his rod, while he slept, had
fallen into the river, and was floating away down the stream.

"'Good-bye again,'