Frank Snake had read all the books about fishing and it looked very simple. One would put the line in and haul out the fish. What could be simpler than that? Frank Snake couldn't wait to get to the river.

 However, Frank Snake thought all that talk about rods and reels was a lot of hogwash. Why use that, when he had a tail that would scoop out the fish?

 The idea seemed like a good one, but it turned out to be really hard work. Not only was it hard work, but results were nil. The fish scurried out of reach before he could flick them on the shore. All he managed to do was spray water all over himself.

 As he was wiping water out of his eyes for the sixteenth time, he saw Heidi Dog swim into the river and try to get a fish. Heidi Dog's little legs padded frantically as she tried to concentrate on her swimming and catch a fish in her mouth. She, like Frank Snake, wasn't successful and came back to the shore to sit on a log beside Frank Snake.

 "There must be an easier way of doing this, " commented Heidi Dog.

 "It looks so easy in the instruction manual," said Frank Snake, passing the book to Heidi Dog.

 She leafed through the pages and stopped at one that really caught her attention. "All we need is a line with those shiny things on it and use a hook like the picture."

 "We don't have a line like that," said Frank Snake, looking at the picture.

 "What about putting the end of your tail into the water, with a hook in it?" suggested Heidi Dog.

 "Hook in my tail? That will hurt!" said Frank Snake, backing away.

 "Don't be silly! See my ears? I've had them pierced and it didn't hurt. See how the rod goes through my ears and sticks out the other side?" demonstrated the dog.

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 "I think I'm going to be sick!" said Frank Snake, swaying back and forth.

 "Don't be a ninny!" said Heidi Dog, digging up a worm.

 "Leave me alone," cried the worm, trying frantically to get out of the dog's clutches. "What you need is a fly for the end of your hook. Didn't you read about fly fishing?"

 "Get a fly then," said Heidi Dog, getting very frustrated with all this confusion. "This is so much trouble to catch one fish."

 Finally, everything was ready to put the actual hook on the snake's tail. Frank Snake backed up as far as he could. "Let me try fishing the old way one more time."

 Frank Snake dipped his tail into the water and with a scream pulled it up with a fish chomping on the end of it.

 "Get it off!" screamed the snake.

 "I'm going home," said the worm and the fly.

 "Let's eat," said Heidi Dog, relieving the snake of the fish on the end of his tail.

 Everyone was happy except for Frank Snake, who had a sore tail, but a full belly.

 Question about the story: What kind of fishing does the worm suggest?

 Send answers to Storytime, c/o Verna Dunlop, RR#1 Moser River, NS BOJ 2KO or e-mail the answer to the question to vernadunlop@yahoo.com. Prizes will be sent to those sending in the answer.

posted on 12/08/09