‘But you must have said you wanted to be a fish.’
‘I didn’t mean it, if I did.’
‘You shouldn’t say what you don’t mean.’
‘I’ll try not to again,’ said Kenneth humbly, ‘but how can I get out?’
‘There’s only one way,’ said the Carp rolling his vast body over in his watery bed, ‘and a jolly unpleasant way it is. Far better stay here and be a good little fish. On the honour of a gentleman that’s the best thing you can do.’
‘I want to get out,’ said Kenneth again.
‘Well then, the only way is … you know we always teach the young fish to look out for hooks so that they may avoid them. You must look out for a hook and take it. Let them catch you. On a hook.’
The Carp shuddered and went on solemnly, [p254 ‘Have you strength? Have you patience? Have you high courage and determination? You will want them all. Have you all these?’
‘I don’t know what I’ve got,’ said poor Kenneth, ‘except that I’ve got a tail and fins, and I don’t know a hook when I see it. Won’t you come with me? Oh! dear Mr. Doyen Carp, do come and show me a hook.’
‘It will hurt you,’ said the Carp, ‘very much indeed. You take a gentleman’s word for it.’