Do n't think I blame him for it ; but true is the word that says , ` When liquor 's in sense is out ' ; and puff , at a breath , out he blasted his wonderful tune . 'T was really then beyond all belief or telling the dancing . Maurice himself could not keep quiet ; staggering now on one leg , now on the other , and rolling about like a ship in a cross sea , trying to humour the tune . There was his mother , too , moving her old bones as light as the youngest girl of them all ; but her dancing , no , nor the dancing of all the rest , is not worthy the speaking about to the work that was going on down upon the strand . Every inch of it covered with all manner of fish jumping and plunging about to the music , and every moment more and more would tumble in and out of the water , charmed by the wonderful tune . Crabs of monstrous size spun round and round on one claw with the nimbleness of a dancing master , and twirled and tossed their other claws about like limbs that did not belong to them . It was a sight surprising to behold . But perhaps you may have heard of Father Florence Conry , as pleasant a man as one would wish to drink with of a hot summer 's day ; and he had rhymed out all about the dancing fishes so neatly that it would be a thousand pities not to give you his verses ; so here they are in English : The big seals in motion , Like waves of the ocean , Or gouty feet prancing , Came heading the gay fish , Crabs , lobsters , and cray-fish , Determined on dancing . The sweet sounds they followed , The gasping cod swallow 'd -- 'T was wonderful , really ; And turbot and flounder , ` Mid fish that were rounder , Just caper 'd as gaily . John-dories came tripping ; Dull hake , by their skipping , To frisk it seem 'd given ; Bright mackrel went springing , Like small rainbows winging Their flight up to heaven . The whiting and haddock Left salt water paddock This dance to be put in ; Where skate with flat faces Edged out some old plaices ; But soles kept their footing . Sprats and herrings in powers Of silvery showers All number out-numbered ; And great ling so lengthy Was there in such plenty The shore was encumber 'd . The scallop and oyster Their two shells did roister , Like castanets flitting ; While limpets moved clearly , And rocks very nearly With laughter were splitting . Never was such a hullabaloo in this world , before or since ; 't was as if heaven and earth were coming together ; and all out of Maurice Connor 's wonderful tune ! In the height of all these doings , what should there be dancing among the outlandish set of fishes but a beautiful young woman -- as beautiful as the dawn of day ! She had a cocked hat upon her head ; from under it her long green hair -- just the colour of the sea -- fell down behind , without hindrance to her dancing . Her teeth were like rows of pearls ; her lips for all the world looked like red coral ; and she had a shining gown pale green as the hollow of the wave , with little rows of purple and red seaweeds settled out upon it ; for you never yet saw a lady , under the water or over the water , who had not a good notion of dressing herself out . Up she danced at last to Maurice , who was flinging his feet from under him as fast as hops -- for nothing in this world could keep still while that tune of his was going on -- and says she to him , chanting it out with a voice as sweet as honey : I 'm a lady of honour Who live in the sea ; Come down , Maurice Connor , And be married to me . Silver plates and gold dishes You shall have , and shall be The king of the fishes , When you 're married to me . Drink was strong in Maurice 's head , and out he chanted in return for her great civility .
It is not every lady , may be , that would be after making such an offer to a blind piper ; therefore 't was only right in him to give her as good as she gave herself , so says Maurice : I 'm obliged to you , madam : Off a gold dish or plate , If a king , and I had 'em , I could dine XXXXX great state .
Up While among as for in out since to upon