“The Stuffed Trout”

                                               (Jerome K. Jerome)

“The Stuffed Trout” has been taken form Jerome’s world famous book THREE MEN IN A BOAT. The book contains mock adventures of the writer and his friends. It is a humorous story. We are told about the psychology of fishermen. The story has been told in an interesting and entertaining manner with a happy surprising end. The story is a fine blending of humor and sentiment.

The writer and his friend, George happened to stop at a riverside inn for rest. They sat in the taproom and started chatting with an old man who was already sitting there. They saw a big trout in an old glass case above the chimney. The old man claimed to have caught this fish sixteen days ago. He told them that it weighed eighteen pounds six ounces. The old man went out and there came a local carrier who claimed that he had caught that fish five years ago. He left the inn and another man came in. he told that how he had caught that fish early in the morning. It was a very humorous situation for the writer. After the man left, another stranger came in and sat there.

George turned to the newcomer and asked him how he had caught the trout. And to their astonishment, he also claimed to have caught the fish. He had caught it with great difficulty, as it was so heavy it broke his line and rod. The last to come was the owner of the inn. When they told him the different stories about the trout, “the honest fellow” laughed heartily. He told the “real story” of the trout. According to him, he had caught that fish by chance when he was just a schoolboy.

The landlord was called out by a boy. George climbed up to the back of the chair to have a close look at the trout. The chair slipped and down came George and the glass-case. The trout was shattered into thousand pieces. Thus they came to know that it was not a stuffed trout at all. It was made of plaster of Paris and claim of so many people to have caught it was not based on truth.

The story brings out the psychology of the old fisherman who likes to relate their imaginary achievements. The claim by many men to have caught the fish and the falling of the glass-case are humorous. The writer’s sudden reaction at the falling of the trout is also very humorous. He makes fun of the old fishermen who just boast of their skill.

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