St. Anthony arrives for his Sermon and finds the church empty. He goes to the rivers to preach to the fishes; They flick their tails, which glisten in the sunshine. The carp with roe have all come here, their mouths wide open, listening attentively. No sermon ever pleased the carp so. Sharp-mouthed pike that are always fighting, have come here, swimming hurriedly to hear this pious one; No sermon ever pleased the pike so. Also, those fantastic creatures that are always fasting - the stockfish, I mean - they also appeared for the sermon; No sermon ever pleased the stockfish so. Good eels and sturgeons, that banquet so elegantly - even they took the trouble to hear the sermon: No sermon ever pleased the eels so. Crabs too, and turtles, usually such slowpokes, rise quickly from the bottom, to hear this voice. No sermon ever pleased the crabs so. Big fish, little fish, noble fish, common fish, all lift their heads like sentient creatures: At God's behest they listen to the sermon. The sermon having ended, each turns himself around; the pikes remain thieves, the eels, great lovers. The sermon was pleasing, they all stay the same! The crabs still walk backwards, the stockfish stay rotund, the carps still stuff themselves, the sermon is forgotten! The sermon was pleasing, they all stay the same!
Sermon to the Fish From Mahler's The Youth's Magic Horn
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