It was such a pleasant, rippling stream that he
dismounted and sat down on its banks. There he perceived, gasping on
the grass, a large golden carp, which, in leaping too far after gnats,
had thrown itself quite out of the water, and now lay dying on the
greensward. Avenant took pity on it, and though he was very hungry,
and the fish was very fat, and he would well enough have liked it for
his breakfast, still he lifted it gently and put it back into the
stream. No sooner had the carp touched the fresh cool water than it
revived and swam away; but shortly returning, it spoke to him from the
water in this wise:--
"Avenant, I thank you for your good deed. I was dying, and you have
saved me: I will recompense you for this one day."
After this pretty little speech, the fish popped down to the bottom of
the stream, according to the habit of carp, leaving Avenant very much
astonished, as was natural.
Another day he met with a raven that was in great distress, being
pursued by an eagle, which would have swallowed him up in no time.
"See," thought Avenant, "how the stronger oppress the weaker! What
right has an eagle to eat up a raven?" So taking his bow and arrow,
which he always carried, he shot the eagle dead, and the raven,
delighted, perched in safety on an opposite tree.
"Avenant," screeched he, though not in the sweetest voice in the
world; "you have generously succoured me, a poor miserable raven.
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