Possible Clues:

• Cringed
• Crouched in fear
• It sounds as if the craven behaved in a craved way like this
• Sounds as if the craven one behaved in a craven way
• Yellow-belly, say, acted thus?
• Used to be into fish -- withdrew
• Fish used to be caught — got fearfully small
• Viewed with contempt
• Shrank
• Did quail in bit of stock with European wine