Page:The land of fetish.pdf/302

 the Coast a long time, too. Well, the mud-fish is a stupid kind of fish, that, instead of trying to escape, buries itself in the mud, and allows itself to be easily caught by the hand. The Governor used the expression to mean that he wasn't a fool."

About ten minutes afterwards one of the innumerable secretaries remarked to me:—

"Did you catch that wonderful simile of His Excellency's about the mud-fish?"

"Oh! yes," I replied.

"You know what it means, of course?"

"Yes; the mud-fish is a stupid kind of fish that, instead of trying to escape, buries itself in the mud and allows itself to be easily caught by the hand. The Governor used the illustration to mean that he wasn't a fool."

"Oh dear no. You're quite wrong. I'll tell you what it is. The mud-fish is a cunning kind of fish which, when pursued, stirs up the mud all round, to make the water thick, so that it can't be seen. The Governor said that he wasn't a mud-fish, meaning that he had no necessity for hiding his whereabouts."

This man had hardly moved away before another came up to me, and said:—

"What did you think of His Excellency's simile of the mud-fish?"