summary by Greg Tuttle and Jeremiah Wood
“The Tame Trout and Other Backwoods Fairy Tales” was narrated by Ed Grant and published by Phillips: Maine Woods and Woodsman Print in 1904. Grant was the proprietor of Grant’s Kennebago Camps and was somewhat famous for his storytelling. Known as the “sage” of Beaver Camp, Grant had a very good imagination and it translated well in his fireside story telling. The stories were chronicled by Francis I. Maule of Philadelphia.
“The Tame Trout” is a very entertaining little story. Seems Grant found a little trout and taught it to walk on land. The trout would follow Mr. Grant around like a little puppy. Even though there was a tragic ending it is a pretty entertaining story of the Maine woods. The story was printed in 1939 by the Grabhorn Press as a little 8-page booklet that was given away to friends as a New Year’s gift from Francis and Marjory Farquar of Berkeley CA. (they were probably guests of his at one time). It is a famous story in the state of Maine, but he did tell other stories that were set down in book form.
The 1904 edition included other stories like “Grant’s Partridge”, “A Remarkable Bear Skin”, “Rowing Extraordinary” and “The New Camp Stove”. That little book was reprinted again in 1908 and 1941. There was also a hardcover book entitled “The World’s Most Truthful Man” printed in 1968 that included similar stories. All of these books are pretty scarce and pricey.
Luckily, the book is available to read online for free via Google Books.
Click here to read or download a pdf of “The Tame Trout”.
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