
audiobook
THE - ANGLICAN FRIAR, - AND - THE FISH WHICH HE TOOK - BY HOOK AND BY CROOK. - A Comic Legend, - BY - A. NOVICE, A.F. & F. - Dedicated to all Lovers of Angling.
And up suddenly reared, The head of Miss Puss in a very droll way.
INTRODUCTION.
What dost thou here, Peter? the Abbot exclaimed.
"Och then it is you; Sir. I thought it was Ned."
Sure it makes me feel hungry, although I've just dined.
They are seated at last; and like smoke disappear
Then again the wild dance Does each young toe entrance.
And exhausted fell down, overwhelmed, to the ground
Then the friar, impatient, began to use force.
A lively, tongue‑in‑cheek narrator takes listeners on a rambling trek from the misty banks of Killarney to the quiet rivers where he chases the perfect catch. His love of angling is painted with comic flair—early mornings, rain‑soaked days, and an endless inventory of flies that never quite seem to work. Along the way he meets an eccentric Anglican friar whose unconventional fishing tactics promise a tale both absurd and oddly philosophical.
The heart of the story revolves around the friar’s notorious feat of snagging a fish “by hook and by crook,” a mishap that spirals into a series of humorous misadventures. As the narrator recounts the escapade, he weaves in witty observations about Irish life, the quirks of fellow anglers, and a gentle moral about the patience required for the sport. Listeners will find themselves chuckling at the blend of rustic charm and clever wordplay, all while feeling the pull of a river’s quiet allure.
Full title
The Anglican Friar, and the Fish which he Took by Hook and by Crook A Comic Legend A Comic Legend
Language
en
Duration
~3 hours (193K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Neville Allen, Steven Gibbs and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
Release date
Mar 11, 2011
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects
Known only by the name “Novice,” this 19th-century writer survives in the historical record through a single comic work, The Anglican Friar, and the Fish which he Took by Hook and by Crook. The mystery around the author gives the piece an extra layer of curiosity for modern listeners.
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