Familiar Colloquies/Hunting and Fishing

by Desiderius Erasmus

The ART OF HUNTING.

The ARGUMENT.

This Colloquy presents you with the Art of Hunting; Fishing, of bringing Earth-Worms out of the Ground, of sticking Frogs.

PAUL, THOMAS, VINCENT, LAWRENCE, BARTHOLUS.

Pa.	Every one to his Mind. I love Hunting.
Th.	And so do I too, but where are the Dogs? The hunting Poles? And the hunting Nets?
Pa.	Farewell Boars, Bears, Bucks, and Foxes, we'll lay Snares for Rabbets.
Vi.	But I'll set Gins for Locusts and Crickets.
La.	But I'll catch Frogs.
Ba.	I'll hunt Butterflies.
La.	'Tis difficult to follow flying Creatures.
Ba.	It is difficult, but 'tis fine Sport; unless you think it finer Sport to hunt after Earth-Worms, Snails or Cockles, because they have no Wings.
La.	Indeed I had rather go a Fishing; I have a neat Hook.
Ba.	But where will you get Baits?
La.	There are Earth-Worms enough every where to be had.
Ba.	So there is, if they would but creep out of the Ground to you.
La.	But I'll make a great many thousand jump out presently.
Ba.	How? By Witch-Craft?
La.	You shall see the Art. Fill this Bucket with Water, break these green Peels of Walnuts to Pieces and put into it: Wet the Ground with the Water. Now mind a little, do you see them coming out?
Ba.	I see a Miracle. I believe the armed Men started out of the Earth after this Manner from the Serpents Teeth that were sown: But a great many Fish are of too fine and delicate a Palate to be catch'd by such a vulgar Bait.
La.	I know a certain Sort of an Insect that I us'd to catch such with.
Ba.	See if you can impose upon the Fishes so, I'll make work with the Frogs.
La.	How, with a Net?
Ba.	No, with a Bow.
La.	That's a new Way of Fishing!
Ba.	But 'tis a pleasant one; you'll say so, when you see it.
Vi.	What if we two should play at holding up our Fingers?
Ba.	That's an idle, clownish Play indeed, fitter for them that are sitting in a Chimney Corner, than those that are ranging in the Field.
Vi.	What if we should play at Cob-Nut?
Pa.	Let us let Nuts alone for little Chits, we are great Boys.
Vi.	And yet we are but Boys for all that.
Pa.	But they that are fit to play at Cob-Nut, are fit to ride upon a Hobby-Horse.
Vi.	Well then, do you say what we shall play at; and I'll play at what you will.
Pa.	And I'll be conformable.