Now there was a noisy thronging, Running, shouting, laughing, joking, Down beneath there on the shore. Like a general, stood the cunning, Skilful landlord of the "Button," 'Mid the crowd of younger people, And on every side was giving His wise counsels, how they might now Have a good successful fishing. There behind the rocks a boat lay In the reeds with brushwood covered, And with chains securely fastened, That no poachers should disturb it, Who might come along at midnight, And employ it for their fishing. From its hiding-place they dragged it Onward to the lake-shore, and there Placed the heavy net within it. Closely netted were the meshes Of the coarsest twine, while many Leaden weights thereon were fastened. When they tried the boat for leakage, Although somewhat out of order, They pronounced it quite seaworthy. Now the landlord and five comrades, Gay and hopeful, took their places, And one end of the great net threw To some friends on shore remaining, With the charge to hold it tightly. From the shore they pushed away now, Rowing stoutly as the net sank Slowly down in a wide curve; Then returned with speed much lessened, Always dragging on the heavy Bulky net, so that the fishes Might therein become entangled. On the shore they sprang out quickly, And drew after them the netting, Till they nigh approached those friends who Still upon the shore were waiting. Stoutly pulling back the ends, they Raised the net out of the water, In great hopes of lots of booty. But within itself entangled It came slowly to the surface Empty: some unskilful rower Had prevented it from sinking, And the dwellers of the lake laughed To have just escaped such danger. Now the landlord cast sharp glances Over all the meshes. Nothing Met his anxious gaze but water; Not the smallest fish was caught there; Only an old boot half rotten, And a toad half crushed and flattened, Which with eyes protruding oddly Looked upon the sunlit forest, And the human faces round him, And he thought: "It is most truly Wonderful, how anybody Ever can enjoy existence, With this sky and this bright sunlight! Well, it seems to me no one here E'er can have the slightest notion Of the mud and all its splendour. Would I were in my own element!"