When fishes flew and forests walked
And figs grew upon thorn,
Some moment when the moon was read more

When fishes flew and forests walked
And figs grew upon thorn,
Some moment when the moon was blood
Then surely I was born.
With monstrous head and sickening cry
And ears like errant wings,
The devil's walking parody
On all four-footed things.

A sly old fish, too cunning for the hook.

A sly old fish, too cunning for the hook.

Fish say, they have their Stream and Pond;
But is there anything Beyond?

Fish say, they have their Stream and Pond;
But is there anything Beyond?

But death is sure to kill all he can get
And all is fish with him that comes to read more

But death is sure to kill all he can get
And all is fish with him that comes to net.

How cheerfully he seems to grin,
How neatly spreads his claws,
And welcomes little fishes in
read more

How cheerfully he seems to grin,
How neatly spreads his claws,
And welcomes little fishes in
With gently smiling jaws!

Ann, Ann!
Come! quick as you can!
There's a fish that talks
In the read more

Ann, Ann!
Come! quick as you can!
There's a fish that talks
In the frying-pan.

The great fish [eat] the small.

The great fish [eat] the small.

And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

Here when the labouring fish does at the foot arrive,
And finds that by his strength but vainly he read more

Here when the labouring fish does at the foot arrive,
And finds that by his strength but vainly he doth strive;
His tail takes in his teeth, and bending like a bow,
That's to the compass drawn, aloft himself doth throw:
Then springing at his height, as doth a little wand,
That, bended end to end, and flerted from the hand,
Far off itself doth cast. so does the salmon vaut.
And if at first he fail, his second summersaut
He instantly assays and from his nimble ring,
Still yarking never leaves, until himself he fling
Above the streamful top of the surrounded heap.