The Old Man and The Sea
By Ernest Hemingway Adapted by Abbie Papka
“You won’t be able to come with me tomorrow, my boy,” Santiago reminded Manolin as he began rowing them home, “Another day with no fish,” He sighed, “Your parents won’t be happy.”
“No, but Santiago, I want to be with you! We will catch some fish soon, you’ll see,” Manolin cried. “I know I am just having bad luck, but it is best. You deserve to be on a good boat, and catching fish,” Santiago claimed, after the eighty-fourth day of them fishing together without catching anything larger than a small tuna.
When they got back to shore, Manolin helped Santiago tie the boat up. “If I won’t be on your boat, at least can we have dinner?” “I’m not hungry.” “You have to eat! We had a long day in the sun, and you won’t be not eating so long as I have anything to say about it.” Santiago agreed, and sat down while he let Manolin cook. After they had both had a filling meal, the man dozed off, preparing to leave extra early in the morning. Manolin tucked an extra blanket on over Santiago, and cleaned up the dishes. He whispered, “Good luck. I hope to return to your boat soon,” as he exited the man’s small house.
When the man awoke the next morning, he was reminded he wasn’t young anymore by the aches and pains filling his body. He set out, racing the rising sun on the horizon, heading farther to sea than he had in fifty years.
Manolin woke up the next morning feeling lonely. It wasn’t normal for him to sleep in this late.
He found himself walking to the waterfront, recalling the fight he’d had with his father the night before. “I like fishing with Santiago, father. Please don’t make me leave him,” Manolin begged. “Son, you haven’t caught a decent fish in more than two months. You can’t go on with him. I have a friend you can fish with, he’s been much more successful.” “But I don’t want to fish with your friend, I want to be with Santiago!” The boy cried. Annoyed with the boy’s persistence, his father slammed his hands on the table, “Go to your room. You won’t be fishing tomorrow.”
When the end of the day came, Santiago still hadn’t caught any fish. That makes eighty-five days. He was still headed farther out to sea as the sun disappeared below the horizon.
Nightfall came, and Santiago became more aware of how alone he was so far out at sea. He really missed the boy, and began talking to the small fish he could see. “You have to attract some of those bigger fish, and let them hook on my line. I have to get home to the boy. I miss my boy.�
The next morning, an incredible thing happened to Santiago. When he woke, one of his lines was stirred by a marlin. The fish pulled for most of the day, but as the afternoon’s sun started to cool, it slowed down. Santiago talked to the fish now, convincing it to give in to its weakness. “Come on now… it’s time for you to let me reel you in. I am not strong enough for a big fight. I have to get home to the boy now. Come on in.” Shockingly, the marlin seemed to understand him, and listen. The fish lightened himself in the water, allowing Santiago to pull him into the boat.
The next day when Manolin went to the docks to prepare to leave with his father’s friends, he saw Santiago’s small fisher boat, tipped over. He ran to it, shouting, “Santiago! Santiago! I’m coming!” When he got to the boat, no one was there. Quickly running to the man’s small house, he discovered the man asleep, next to a fish larger than any he had ever seen. “My boy! Look what I’ve caught us!” “Santiago! I missed you so much. You have come back to me. Can I come on your boat again?”
“You’re always welcome with me,” Santiago replied. Manolin leaped up and hugged Santiago, and loyally added, “Now should I cut up some of this marlin and get started on breakfast?” “Indeed.”
About the Author
Abbie Papka is from Pewaukee, Wisconsin. She is an avid and competitive equestrian, who owns five horses with her family. Spending most of her extra time at the barn, she also plays tennis on occasion, as well as dabbling in photography, and spending lots of time volunteering. Abbie also spends a lot of time reading, examining, and writing essays for an enrichment course that she takes with a tutor; as well as staying up unreasonably late at night to read the latest addicting fiction. Her busy life is complete with distraction by the family’s two dogs, Callie and Poppy, as well as her older sister, Maggie, who insists on carrying on conversations with the computer. Travelling is one of her favorite things, but she cannot partake often, as horses are such a time commitment. She has visited nineteen of her goal of visiting all fifty. Her goal is to do something special to the area in each state. After visiting all the states, her goal is to visit all the countries in
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Source
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http://www.123rf.com/photo_10405654_blue-marlin-splash--a-spectacular-blue-marlin-fla http://www.seamepost.com/uncategorized/new-york-follows-south-korea-to-ban-shark-fin
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http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-images-two-anglers-fishing-lake-image596
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http://stolenapples1.blogspot.com/2011/03/aleksandr-petrov-old-man-and-sea-1999.html
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http://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-old-man-and-the-sea-xueling-zou.html
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http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/facing-sea.html
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http://www.seamepost.com/uncategorized/new-york-follows-south-korea-to-ban-shark-fin http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photos-sea-image3057223
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http://thelegacybuilder.wordpress.com/2013/06/08/come-sail-away/
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http://illustrationartgallery.com
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http://drawingsecretsrevealed.com/about-the-artist
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http://theoldmanandtheseareadinglogs.blogspot.com/
The content of this modified story comes from both the original novel, as well as the creativity of the adapter.