Page:The jade story book; stories from the Orient (IA jadestorybooksto00cous).pdf/230

214             THE JADE STORY BOOK of my mouth, and put me back into the water at once."

Chang was puzzled, because he had never heard a fish make a noise like this before, but he seized the fish, remarking to himself what a wonderfully fine one it was, and tearing the hook out of its jaws, threw it down in the boat.

"You scoundrel!" shouted Sin. "How dare you treat me like this. I dismiss you from my service at once."

"I have heard tales of birds talking," said Chang, "but may I be beaten if I haven't got hold of a fish that talks." With that he turned to the shore, and then he lifted the fish by its gills, and started toward home.

"Oh, you will kill me!" shouted Sin. "I will have you flayed alive for this."

But Chang took no more notice of the strange noises the fish made, and thought only of the present he would receive for bringing home such a fine fish. Sin was feeling weak from pain, and from being out of the water so long. He thought that surely the old porter would know him when he