“ The golden fish heard every word as it lay,
Began straight to talk and discourse in this way:—
“I’m full as rich, fisherman, as thou art poor,
And soon for thee happiness I will procure.
“Straight cast me again in the ocean my home,
And a well-doing man thou, I swear, shalt become. ”

“ And towards the strand now the fisherman makes.
And up when the fisher his fishing-line drew,
A fine golden fish on the hook met his view.
Then he laughed in his beard: “I’ve of fish seen a store,
But ne’er one with golden cloth kirtle before.
“If I a gold piece for each gold-scale possess’d,
With poverty I should no more be distrest.”
p. 26With its tail the fish ’gan the bench furious to smite,
And a strange dance it seemed to the fisherman’s sight.
“Thou wealthy man, be not, I pray thee, so gay,
A much quieter part a poor fisher should play.” ”

“ With the leaves of the myrtle I’ll cover my brand,
Like Harmodius and Aristogiton of yore;
When the tyrant they slew, and their dear native land
They caused with just laws to be governed once more.
O, beloved Harmodius! thou still art not dead,
In the Isles of the Blest thou still livest, they say;
Where the swift-heel’d Achilles and bold Diomed
Through sweet flowery meadows continually stray.
p. 13With the leaves of the myrtle I’ll cover my blade,
Like Harmodius and Aristogiton of yore ”