Now who ever heard of a fish's sitting up and telling his own story!

Oh, you needn't laugh, you young Folks, perhaps you will find that I can
make out very well, considering.

Of course I have been among "Folks," else I could never use your
language or know anything about you and your ways.

A message is not received direct from the depths of the sea very often,
and especially from one of the natural natives. And then, there are very
few fishes that ever have an experience like mine, and travel from one
continent to another, going both by sea and by land.

You surely will open your eyes pretty widely at that, and wonder how a
fish could go anywhere by land. Have patience and you shall hear all
about it by and by.

I was born deep down in the Mediterranean Sea. That long name is no
stranger. You have seen it many a time in your geographies. But could
you tell the meaning of it, I wonder? _I_ can! It means "Midland Sea,"
and is so named from being so near the middle of the earth.

If the Mediterranean Sea should be pulled up and away, together with the
space it occupies, my! what a hole there would be in the big round
earth!

Nowadays, even the little Folks hear a great deal about Europe. Some of
the family have very likely been there. Perhaps even small John or
Elizabeth have themselves crossed the great ocean, sailing on a fine
steamer to the coast of England or Ireland.