Marcel, an intrepid fisherman, loved catching his traps in the open sea. What he preferred above all were the surprises that the sea sometimes had in store for him.

One morning, Marcel discovered in his locker, not a mocking lobster, but an old, slender parrot. The bird, named Charles by Marcel, quickly became comfortable on the boat, screaming at the slightest wave. Often, therefore.

And then, one day, in the middle of a storm, Charles began to chant a fiery speech which strangely resembled General de Gaulle's June 18 Appeal.

Who could have believed that a sinful bird would be a fervent Gaullist?

The next time you lift a trap, you'll think twice before risking ending up with a clever lemur on deck, belting out Celine Dion every time you tack.