“That was where our fishing began”

“Fish," the old man said. "Fish, you are going to have to die anyway. Do you have to kill me too?”

“Then he began to pity the great fish that he had hooked. He is wonderful and strange and who knows how old he is, he thought. Never have I had such a strong fish nor one who acted so strangely. Perhaps he is too wise to jump. He could ruin me by jumping or by a wild rush. But perhaps he has been hooked many times before and he knows that this is how he should make his fight. He cannot know it is only one man against him, nor that it is an old man. But what a great fish he is and what will he bring in the market if the flesh is good. He took the bait like a male and he pulls like a male and his fight has no panic in it. I wonder if he has plans or if he is just as desperate as I am?”

“My big fish must be somewhere.”

“They would hit a man in the water, if they were hungry, even if the man had no smell of fish blood nor of fish slime on him.“Ay,” the old man said. “Galanos. Come on galanos.”

“Where we would be together and have our books and at night be warm in bed together with the windows open and the stars bright. That was where we could go.”

“The fish is my friend too," he said aloud. "I have never seen or heard of such a fish. But I must kill him. I am glad we do not have to try to kill the stars.”