Page:Merry tales of the wise men of Gotham (3).pdf/7

 from their neſt. Immediately he took a coulter and heated it red hot, and thruſt it into the ſtraw at the end of his forge and ſet it on fire, and burnt it up. Then ſaid the ſmith, I told thee I'd ſoon put them out of their neſt.

Good Friday the men of Gotham conſulted together what they would do with their white herrings, ſprats, and ſalt fiſh; and they agreed, that all ſuch fiſh ſhould be caſt into the pond or pool, in the midſt of the town, that their number might increaſe againſt the following year. Therefore every one, that had got any of theſe fiſh left, did 'caſt them all into the foreſaid pond. Then ſaid one. I have gotten ſo many red herrings. Well, ſaid another, and I have left ſo many whitings. Another immediately cried cut, I have juſt as yet gotten ſo many ſprats left. And, ſaid the laſt, I have gotten ſo many ſalt fiſhes; let them go together into the great pond, without any diſtinction, and we may be ſure to fare like lords the next year. At the beginning of the next Lent they immediately went about draining of the pond, imagining they ſhould have the fiſh