LITTLE BLACK BASS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 490, 20 October 1928, Page 27

LITTLE BLACK BASS

Once there was a little flah whos» name was Little Black Bass. He liven! in the deep, cool sea with his father His father’s name was Big Black Bas> and he was as smart a father-fl>»? ■> any little fish could have. “Listen. Little Black Baas,” eaid he “Remember, your home is under th* sea. Keep down in the water, and under * stand. You’ll never be happy living on land. And Little Black Bass would smih when his father said that, and think that no little fish could ever be hap pier than he was. All day long he would swim in the deep, cool water, and learn how to do double-twisting dives and circle-side-strokes and such fancy things from his smart fishl'ather. One day Big Black Bass had to swim away on a very important errand, and so Little Black Bass was left alone. At first, he had a grand time. Ho swam all the fino strokes he had learned and even invented a new ono. n back-flip flop, which he knew his father would like. “Just wait till father comes home. Little Black Bass thought, “and I will show him the new back-flip-flop that I made up.” Then he swam round until he was tired, and ho thought to himself, "Oh. I think it would be nice to go up on the nice warm ground and rest a bit. The sun is shining and the grass is green, and the flowers are growing along the water’s edge.” And the more he thought about the shining sun. and the green grass, and tiie flowers grow - ing along the water’s edge, the more Inwanted to go up on land. So he waited until a great, big. splashy wave cam*bouncing along over him. and then h«* called out. “Oh beautiful wave, up there abo\< me. I’m getting so tired of salty sea. I want to play upon the sand. Please leL me ride on you to land And the big wave, being a kindly wave at heart, smiled and scooped up Little Black Bass on his foamy white crest, and carried him toward th*shore. Splash-dash, splash-dash, went the big wave toward the sand, and slipdip, slip-dip. went Little Black Bass into the water and out again, on top of the foamy white spray. Then one more slip, and one more dip, and—spplasssh!-—the big wav. left Little Black Bass right on th** sand of the shore. And there were th# [ flowers blooming brightly, and there I was the grass growing greenly, and I there was the sun shining warmly, just as Little Black Bass had thought. And he thought "Now I will show them how I can «_o a double-twisting dive and a circle-side stroke, and my own new back flip-flop.” But the sand was hot and hard and sticky and Little Black Bass could hardly wiggle his little fish-body along it. "Oh, dear.” thought Little Black Bass, “you can’t even swim on this hard, hot sand. And that sun is terribly warm. I wish I were under the 000 l water, so I couldn’t feel it.” And the more he wiggled on the hot sand, and the longer he felt the warm sun. the more he wished he were under the cool water. So he waited and waited again Until a big. splashing wave came up on the shore near him, and he cried out, “Oh, beautiful wave, splashing so near to me. Please take me with you back to the sea, I’m hot and I’m tired and covered with sand And. oh, I don’t like It. here, living on • land.** | So the big splashing wave reached j out and grabbed Little Black Bass and j carried him slip-dip, 4 * slip-dip, back to • the sea. And oh, how cool and sweet ' the water felt when it touched his little | sandy body. And'oh, how good to swim I in it again* “Father dear was right.” said he “My home is really in the sea. ■ And now, I, too, can understand I’d never be happy living on land. " PETER AND THE FROG Peter was sitting on the bank of the lily pond trying to think of a new I game to play, when he spied a largt- ! frog crouched on a waterlily leaf, that | swayed gently in the wind like a little green boat. “Good morning,” said the frog. . “Good morning,” said Peter, much astonished. “You thought we could only croak, didn’t you?” remarked the shooting out his long forked tongue and capturing a passing fly. “But it is really astonishing what we can do. Just watch me take to the water without a splash.” And ir. he went. Presently he came again to the t&r lace, and climbed up on his lily leaf “All frogs are acrobats, you know,” he said, and, to prove it, turned a neat back-somersault. “I have always longed to do that, ' said Peter, humbly, “but I have never had the courage to try. Can you swim over-arm ?” “Of course I can,” answered the frog. “Just watch! I can tread water, ; too, and swim on my back. As a matter of fact, I am the swimming instructor for tadpoles. They are such foolish creatures in the early stages, before their legs grow and they los* their tails. They dart hither and 1 thither like rudderless chips, and eat simply anything. As soon as their legs grow, and their tails dwindle, they become my pupils. The lily leaves are our springboards. School starts at six o’clock in the morning.” “Oh, please may I come and watch begged Peter. “I promise I shall not make a sound.” “Come, by all means,” said the frog “Listen! Someone is calling you. 1 know that voice very well. Before you go. I shall show’ you the double somersault, that should not be attempted without plenty of training.’ “Well, I never,” said Peter, a at the water closed over his talkative friend. And he ran up the path to the house, determined to keep his secret at all costs, and to be. by hook or by crook at the lily pond on the stroke of i»i\ ; the following morning.