Not a bite this evening, but I had a thrilling experience. As I was holding out my fishing rod,
a kingfisher came and perched on it. We have no bird more brilliant.

He seemed like a big blue flower on the end of a long stalk. The rod bent under the weight. I
held my breath, quite proud to be taken for a tree by a kingfisher.

And I am sure that he did not fly away out of fear, but believed that he was only passing
from one branch to another.

Texts by Jules Renard
Translations by Winifred Radford in The Interpretation of French Song by Pierre Bernac