Original Picture: Corcoran Gallery, Washington,
D.C.
Artist: Emile Renouf (rẽ n[=oo]f´´).
Birthplace: Paris, France.
Dates: Born, 1845; died, 1894.
Questions to arouse interest. Of what is this a picture? Where are this man and little girl? Where do you think they are going? What do you suppose the man does for a living? why? How is he dressed? What makes you think he loves the little girl? For what is the long pole with the rope around it used? How is the man guiding the boat now? What do you see ahead that he is trying to turn away from? What is the little girl doing? How is she dressed? Why do you think she cannot help very much? What kind of a boat is it? What else do you see in the boat? in the picture? Why is it called "A Helping Hand"?
The story of the picture. When we go fishing for a few hours or half a day we think it great fun, but a real fisherman, who earns his living that way, has to work very hard. Fishermen usually start out at four or five o'clock in the morning, and do not come home again until late at night. Sometimes they go away for several days, fishing night and day.
Very probably this little girl is not awake mornings when her father eats his breakfast and starts out. He wears a rain-proof hat and heavy coat, for one never can tell what the weather will be out on the water. He must take a good lunch with him, too, for he is sure to get hungry. The mother will see that the lunch is ready.
When the wind is blowing in the right direction he puts up the heavy pole you see in the center of the boat, lets out the sail, and tightens the rope. Then, with a good wind, how fast he can go! He knows just where each kind of fish likes to stay, and goes straight to the very best place. Here he drops his heavy iron anchor into the water. This anchor is fastened to the boat and keeps it from drifting. Sometimes the fish do not bite at all, and he has very few to carry home after his hard day's work. Then again his great boat is filled full of shiny fish. "Fisherman's luck," that is called.
He probably uses that net with the long wooden handle to help him catch the big fish. He may have used it also to catch his minnows for bait. No doubt he catches all the minnows he needs before he starts, because they live in the shallow water near the shore and it is easier to catch them there.
Some fishermen use very long nets, something like those you see on a tennis court, only wider and stronger. It takes several men to manage them. The fish get tangled up in the net, and then it is very easy to catch them.