FIRST FISHERMAN.
Why, as men do a-land; the great ones eat up the little ones: I can compare our rich misers to nothing so fitly as to a whale; a’ plays and tumbles, driving the poor fry before him, and at last devours them all at a mouthful. Such whales have I heard on o’ the land, who never leave gaping till they swallowed the whole parish, church, steeple, bells and all.
PERICLES.
[Aside.] A pretty moral.
THIRD FISHERMAN.
But, master, if I had been the sexton, I would have been that day in the belfry.
SECOND FISHERMAN.
Why, man?
THIRD FISHERMAN.
Because he should have swallowed me too; and when I had been in his belly, I would have kept such a jangling of the bells, that he should never have left, till he cast bells, steeple, church and parish up again. But if the good King Simonides were of my mind,—
PERICLES.
[Aside.] Simonides?
THIRD FISHERMAN.
We would purge the land of these drones, that rob the bee of her honey.
PERICLES.
[Aside.] How from the finny subject of the sea
These fishers tell the infirmities of men;
And from their watery empire recollect
All that may men approve or men detect!
Peace be at your labour, honest fishermen.
SECOND FISHERMAN.
Honest! good fellow, what’s that? If it be a day fits you, search out of the calendar, and nobody look after it.
PERICLES.
May see the sea hath cast upon your coast.