FISH STORIES AND SONGS
(excerpts from posts)
(If you want to retell any of the stories listed below, be sure to obtain permission from the copyright holder if the material is not in the public domain)

1) The Smart Fish by Gregory Leifel Feb. 2002
(For permission to retell this story, please contact Greg at GLeifel@AOL.COM)
Have you heard the story about the Smart Fish? The Smart Fish was an old, wise fish. He was very, very large and very smart. He watched for years how people on the shore would bait a hook, cast it out on the water and how his friends would be pulled out of the water, most never to return again. So, being a smart fish, one day he watched a fisherman for hours and hours, until that fisherman fell asleep. The Smart Fish quietly took the fishing line into his large mouth and reeled the fisherman's fishing pole silently into the water, where he kept it for a few days hidden behind a sunken log. One morning the Smart Fish wound the hook and line around the sunken log and then cast that fishing pole up onto the shore. The Smart Fish then waited. Early afternoon, along came a guy who saw this fishing pole just lying there on the shore. Well, the guy runs over, because it's a free fishing pole. He picks it up, and 'Yank,' the Smart Fish pulls once on the line. The rest of that afternoon the guy fights the log trying to reel it in. The Smart Fish swims around, occasionally tugging on the line whenever the guy rests, just for fun, waiting for sunset. By sunset the guy is plum tuckered out. The Smart Fish begins to slowly reel in the pole. The guy fights with all that's left of his might, which isn't much at this point. With one mighty tug by the Smart Fish, the guy falls in the water, but he never lets go of the pole. He is pulled across the top of the water by the Smart Fish, still holding on, and then suddenly, he's pulled under, where he meets the Smart Fish eye to eye. He's aghast at the outrageous size of this old fish, and the Smart Fish says to him, "Jonah!" The guy opens his mouth, shocked The Smart Fish opens his mouth, hungry.

2) Query: Does anyone have a catchy little tune/song about a fish or fishing or life in the rivers and streams?
Sue B. 7/12/05
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Response: "Down in the meadow in a little bitty pool"
Janice D.N. 7/12/05
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Response: The following has a catchy, jaunty folk tune, though I don't know where you can find it - I'm sure the ballads site just mentioned or another similar will have it.

DANCE TO YOUR DADDY (TRADITIONAL)
Dance to your daddy, my little baby,
Dance to your daddy, my little lamb.
You shall have a fish and you shall have a fin,
And you shall have a haddock when the boat comes in.

Dance to your daddy, my little laddie,
Dance to your daddy, my little man.
You shall have a fishy in a little dishy,
You shall have a fishy when the boat comes in.

INSTRUMENTAL VERSE
Dance to your daddy, my little baby,
Dance to your daddy, my little lamb.
You shall have a fish and you shall have a fin,
And you shall have a haddock when the boat comes in.
Tim S. 7/12/05
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Response: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=2385434&cat=4106&type=4&dept=5427&path
=0%3A4104%3A4106%3A5010%3A36561&cd=2mp3 sample

Crawdad Song # 15 mp3 from Walmart site (or just type in crawdad song mp3 in google)

These are some of the hundreds of verses. You can make up your own, too.

You get a line and I'll get a pole, Honey,
You get a line and I'll get a pole, Babe.
You get a line and I'll get a pole,
We'll go fishin' in the crawdad hole,
Honey, Baby mine.

Sittin' on the bank 'til my feet get cold, Honey,
Sittin' on the bank 'til my feet get cold, Babe,
Sittin' on the bank 'til my feet get cold,
Lookin' down that crawdad hole,
Honey, Baby mine.

Yonder comes a man with a sack on his back, Honey,
Yonder comes a man with a sack on his back, Babe,
Yonder comes a man with a sack on his back,
Packin' all the crawdads he can pack,
Honey, Baby mine.

The man fell down and he broke that sack, Honey,
The man fell down and he broke that sack, Babe,
The man fell down and he broke that sack,
See those crawdads backing back,
Honey, Baby mine.

I heard the duck say to the drake, Honey,
I heard the duck say to the d b6e rake, Babe,
I heard the duck say to the drake,
There ain't no crawdads in this lake,
Honey, Baby mine.

What you gonna do when the lake goes dry, honey
What you gonna do when the lake goes dry, babe
What you gonna do when the lake goes dry
Gonna sit on the bank and watch the crawdads die
Honey, baby mine.

Get up, Sue, you slept too late, honey
Get up, Sue, you slept too late, babe
Get up, Sue, you slept too late,
That crawdad man's done passed your gate
Honey, baby mine.

Standin' on the corner with a dollar in my hand, honey
Standin' on the corner with a dollar in my hand, babe
Standin' on the corner with a dollar in my hand
Standin' there waitin' for the crawdad man
Honey, baby mine.
Mary Lee S. 7/12/05
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(This web page updated 7/21/05)