This charming children’s picture book by the incomparable Dr. Seuss was first published in 1947.
The farmer laughed when he saw Marco sitting on the banks of McElligot’s pool, fishing pole in hand. He tells the boy that he’ll never catch anything there and it’s all a big waste of time. You see, there’s nothing alive in there, and people have been throwing their trash in there for so long, he’s more likely to catch a boot than he is a fish. Marco thinks the farmer just may be right – after all, he’s been sitting there most of the afternoon and nothing has happened yet. However, you never can tell what might be lurking, down beneath where you can’t see it . . .
What if that tiny pond was somehow connected to an underground brook that lead under the pasture, under the town, and out to the ocean? And what if all those ocean fish got the idea to go wandering a little closer to the pond? If he gives up now, he could be losing out on all kinds of chances.
He could catch a dogfish, or a catfish. He could catch a fish that crows like a rooster, or who has a checkerboard belly. What if he caught a sea horse, or a sea cow?
What if fish were coming from miles around just for the unique pleasure of ending up in McElligot’s pool? They could come from the tropics, or from Alaska! (Do you think they are? I’ll aska.) He could even catch a lobster. Now that would be cool.
So you see, Marco doesn’t feel like he’s wasting his time. No, sir – he thinks that if he’s patient, he’ll catch the most wonderful fish ever, and all his effort will be well rewarded.
Of course, this explanation leaves the farmer dumb-founded – as well it ought.
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