Page:Merry tales of the wise men of Gotham (9).pdf/7

 ( 7 ) from their neft presently. Immediate Iy he took a coulter, and heated it red hot and thruft it in the ftraw at the end of his forge, and fet it on fire, and burnt it up. Then faid the fmith, I told thee I'd fire them out of their neft. TALE VII ON Good-Friday, the men of Go tham, confulted together, what to do with their white-herrings,fprats and falt fifh, and agreed that all fuch fifh fhould be caft into the pond or pool, in the midft of the town, that the num- ber of them might increafe againft the next year. Therefore every one that, had any fifh left, did caft them imme diately into the pond. Then faid one, I have gotten fo many red herrings. Well, faid another,and I have left fo many whitings Another immediate- ly cried out, I have as yet gotten fo many fprats left. And, faid the laft, I have gotten fo many falt fifhes, let then go together into the great pond without diftinction, and we may be fure to fare like lords the next year. At the beginning of the next Lent they immediately went about drawing the pond, imagining they fhould have the