A Heron was walking sedately along the bank of a stream, his eyes
on the clear water, and his long neck and pointed bill ready to
snap up a likely morsel for his breakfast. The clear water
swarmed with fish, but Master Heron was hard to please that
morning.
"No small fry for me," he said. "Such scanty fare is not fit for
a Heron."
Now a fine young Perch swam near.
"No indeed," said the Heron. "I wouldn't even trouble to open my
beak for anything like that!"
As the sun rose, the fish left the shallow water near the shore
and swam below into the cool depths toward the middle. The Heron
saw no more fish, and very glad was he at last to breakfast on a
tiny Snail.