THE FIRST TUNNY FISHING.
There was once a fisherman named Pepe; he was very good, and verypoor. He never went out to fish without first kneeling down and askinga blessing on his labours; he never lost his time in drinking-bouts;he brought his children up to be as honest and industrious as himself;yet nothing prospered with him. He toiled the livelong day, andoften far into the night, yet he could scarcely earn enough to keephis family above want. If ever there was a storm, it was sure to bePepe's boat that would be swamped. And if ever there was a rich shoalof fish came within his ordinary fishing-ground, it would be sureto happen when he was ill, or his gear was out of order, or when,for some reason, he could not avail himself of the blessing.
What was most remarkable was, that under all this misfortune Pepe wasalways cheerful. As the beautiful Spanish proverb says, he was likethe sandal-wood, perfuming the axe which strikes it low [87]. He notonly never complained, and continued at his toil steadily day by day,but he was always praising God for what He had given him--his wife,his children, his humble hut, his strong arms. "Put your trust in God,and your feet diligently along the road [88];" so he used to say,and so he used to act.
One day he had gone out as usual, and, as often happened, had takennothing. It was no use going back with an empty bag; he perseveredanother day, and another, though he had nothing but a loaf to liveon. The sun above was like a furnace, the sea below like a lake offire. Pepe crept under the shadow of his sails, and was so exhaustedwith heat and hunger that he fell into a swoon.
He saw himself lying at the bottom of his boat, but not alone. Therewas One lying there also, who slept too. His raiment glistened,and a light of glory surrounded Him, which paled that of the blazingsun. By and by the sun went down, and it seemed that night came on,but He was still there; and the wind rose, and Pepe's little boat wastossed and buffeted, and Pepe was ready to cry out with alarm. Thenhe thought, "While He is here, no harm can come; I will keep Hisslumber sacred." So he looked out on the fury of the storm, andwaited. Then that shining One arose and waved His hands abroad towardsthe winds, and there came a sweet melody from His mouth, which said,"Peace! peace!" Then suddenly all was still and bright again, and thesoft breeze echoed back the music of "Peace! peace!" Then Pepe, whenhe saw what He had done, fell on his knees before Him, and said, "Lord,as Thou hast done this, send me now a draft of fishes, that my net maybe full." Then the Bright One stretched out His hands over the sea;and there rose out of the rippling waves great handsome fishes suchas Pepe had never seen the like. They were of the height of a man inlength, and their skin shone like silver interwoven with many colours,and their fins of gold. Docile at His gesture, they rose gently overthe side of the boat, and laid them obedient at His feet. One by one,on they came till--appalling sight!--the boat began to sink undertheir priceless weight.
For one moment Pepe's heart almost fainted within him at seeing therich prize sink away again just as it was within grasp, and with ithis boat, his tackle, all that he had to call his own! But his eyerested on the Bright One who stood there, and his faith and confidencereturned. He observed that some folds of His glistening mantle, asit hung loosely from His shoulders, floated on the waves which werenow meeting over the place where he stood. Confident that it wouldbear him up, Pepe stepped on to it, as on to dry land, while all hisearthly treasure sunk out of sight.
Then Pepe woke. The sun had nearly set; a light breeze was gentlycarrying off the superfluous heat of the day; but his bark wasempty, no Bright One sat in it, no beautiful fish lay there. Pepelistlessly looked over the side of his boat; the influence of hisdream was yet upon him, and he could not restrain a look after hissunken prize. What was that? Something large and shining swam underhis boat, surely! Hastily Pepe detached a little lamp which alwaysburnt under a cross hung on the mast, and looked down into the clearblue waters, when lo! as if attracted by the light, the shining fishturned their small bright eyes towards it, as if they took the unwontedlight for the rising sun, and swam straight at it almost within arm'slength. Pepe was now at no loss what to do. Taking a large hook whichlay in the bottom of his boat, he lashed it firmly to a long spar, andthen hanging the lamp over the side of the boat, he prepared to seizethe finny prey with his improvised harpoon. The lamp attracted them asbefore, and now came the struggle. Pepe was a small man, and the firstfish he tackled was a foot taller than himself and well-nigh pulledhim over the side of his boat. Pepe was glad enough to let him go,even at the cost of his weapon, which the fish carried down into thedeep with him. Pepe was, as you know by now, one who never lost heart;he pulled out his narvaja (or long-bladed knife with a cross-hilt),and tied it to another long piece of wood. Pepe was gaining experience;this time he selected a smaller antagonist, and great was his joywhen, after a brief encounter, he landed him safely in the bottomof the boat. Pepe was not avaricious, more anxious to share the goodnews with his family than to obtain a large haul, he only waited totake one moderate-sized fish more, and then he was off to his home.
Great was the joy in the village next morning, as the news of the newsource of industry spread. Some were frightened, and said there mustbe witchcraft in it; but when they saw the trade prosper, they wereglad enough to take it as the good gift of God, and from that timeto this the Tunny fishery has never failed to enrich the dwellers onall the shores of the Mediterranean.