James and Mary Ford, eds. Every Day in the Year. 1902.
January 17St. Anthonys Sermon to the Fishes
By AnonymousS
Was left in the lurch,
So he went to the ditches
And preached to the fishes;
They wriggled their tails,
In the sun glanced their scales.
Are all hither drawn;
Have opened their jaws,
Eager for each clause.
No sermon beside
Had the carps so edified.
Who keep fighting like tikes,
Now swam harmonious
To hear St. Antonious.
No sermon beside
Had the pikes so edified.
Who loves fast days, the cod-fish—
The stock-fish, I mean—
At the sermon was seen.
No sermon beside
Had the cods so edified.
Which aldermen gorge on,
Went out of their way
To hear preaching that day.
No sermon beside
Had the eels so edified.
Who always move slow,
Made haste from the bottom,
As if the devil had got ’em.
No sermon beside
Had the crabs so edified.
Lords, lackeys, and all,
Each looked at the preacher,
Like a reasonable creature:
At God’s word,
They Anthony heard.
Each turned and descended;
The pikes went on stealing,
The eels went on eeling;
Much delighted were they,
But preferred the old way.
The stock-fish thick-siders,
The carps are sharp-set,
All the sermon forget:
Much delighted were they,
But preferred the old way.