THIS picture represents one of the women who sell fish in Scotland. They are mostly the wives and daughters of the fishermen, and they are called fish-wives. They carry heavy loads of fish in baskets on their backs, and you may often meet with them in the railway carriages with their baskets. And these baskets, even when empty, often smell very strongly, and are quite disagreeable to persons not used to it.
They go round the houses to sell their fish, and the cry may often be heard of "Caller herrin'! what will buy my caller herrin'?" The little girl in the picture is carefully keeping her frock from touching the fish basket while she is looking at the pretty fish.
We remember reading of a fish-wife who once was carrying round her fish, and on calling at a house the mistress inquired the price, and then sent out word that she would not buy any that clay, the fish were too dear. The poor woman said with a sigh, "The fish are dear to me, for I have lost a husband and two sons in catching fish." The lady of the house, on hearing this, sent after the woman and bought some of her fish.