`` Then I shall have some one to play with there ? How delightful ! '' `` Were there no babies up this stream ? '' asked the lady salmon . `` No ! and I grew so lonely . I thought I saw three last night ; but they were gone in an instant , down to the sea . So I went too ; for I had nothing to play with but caddises and dragon-flies and trout . '' `` Ugh ! '' cried the lady , `` what low company ! '' `` My dear , if he has been in low company , he has certainly not learnt their low manners , '' said the salmon . `` No , indeed , poor little dear : but how sad for him to live among such people as caddises , who have actually six legs , the nasty things ; and dragon-flies , too ! why they are not even good to eat ; for I tried them once , and they are all hard and empty ; and , as for trout , every one knows what they are . '' Whereon she curled up her lip , and looked dreadfully scornful , while her husband curled up his too , till he looked as proud as Alcibiades . `` Why do you dislike the trout so ? '' asked Tom . `` My dear , we do not even mention them , if we can help it ; for I am sorry to say they are relations of ours who do us no credit . A great many years ago they were just like us : but they were so lazy , and cowardly , and greedy , that instead of going down to the sea every year to see the world and grow strong and fat , they chose to stay and poke about in the little streams and eat worms and grubs ; and they are very properly punished for it ; for they have grown ugly and brown and spotted and small ; and are actually so degraded in their tastes , that they will eat our children . '' `` And then they pretend to scrape acquaintance with us again , '' said the lady . `` Why , I have actually known one of them propose to a lady salmon , the little impudent little creature . ''
`` I should hope , '' said the gentleman , `` XXXXX there are very few ladies of our race who would degrade themselves by listening to such a creature for an instant .
So ago as if like that till to up while