Ernest Hemingway's
The Old Man and the Sea Retold by Sage Leary
Santiago woke up to another cloudless Cuban sky, and looked out to the sea. He wondered what this day might have in store for him. He had been a fisherman for many decades, and though he knew the sea well, it often held surprises for him. Looking at the calendar on his wall, he realized he had not caught a fish in 84 days. Despite this, he was determined to fish this day well.
Santiago gathered his fishing gear and made his way toward his fishing boat. He put all that he would need in the boat, took to the oars, and headed out to sea. The sun had just risen above the horizon, making the sea bright with it's golden rays. Santiago was determined to catch a fish.
Out at sea, Santiago found a school of flying fish where he decided to set out the lines. He waited patiently and watched the lines intently all morning. It was almost midday when one of the lines suddenly gave a tremendous tug. He lurched forward to see what it was, but it was gone.
“Come on fish,” Santiago said. “Eat it.” He waited... And waited.... Just then another tug came, and this time it didn't stop. Santiago yanked on the line, setting the hook deep into the fish's mouth. “I've got him!” he exclaimed. He let the line run through his hands. Down, down, down, the fish swam. It seemed that despite how hard he tried, he could not tire the fish. At last, the speed of the line slowed, and the fish began moving at a steady pace. Santiago held on as the fish started to pull him and his boat out to sea.
After several hours, Santiago still held fast to the fish. He was determined to conquer this fish and take it home to show his people. “Fish, you are great in size and strength, but I will kill you before this day ends,� he called out. He held on to the fish for the rest of the day and into the night. Once in the night, the fish broke the surface of the ocean and jumped high out of the water. Santiago was awestruck. It was the biggest marlin he had ever seen!
Santiago held on to the fish through the rest of the night and halfway through the next day. Then, very slowly, the line began to give slack. Santiago pulled the line in slowly and steadily. He pulled until the fish came to the surface of the ocean near his boat. “He is two feet longer than my boat at least!” he thought to himself. As Santiago lifted his harpoon to kill the fish, he suddenly changed his mind. “I cannot kill you great fish, for you are much too beautiful to kill,” he said. Santiago set his harpoon down and looked around him. He realized he was lost at sea! How would he be able to get home?
To his surprise, the fish spoke. “You are wise not to kill me old man, and I am very grateful to you.” “Fish,” said Santiago “I have lost my bearings and I fear I cannot find my way to my homeland. We went too far out, you and I.” “Well,” said the fish “I could tow you home. I owe you for sparing my life.” “If you were to do that,” said Santiago “It should be me who would owe you.” “Very well old man, I shall tow you and your skiff home,” the fish replied.
They began the long journey home, but soon discovered they were not alone. Sharks followed in their path, trying to attack the giant marlin. Santiago bravely fought these sharks with his harpoon and knife while the fish did what it could with its spearlike bill and razor sharp tail. Santiago was determined to hold true to his promise and protect the fish, for he needed to reach home in safety.
Finally, after days of travel by fish-power, Santiago finally spotted land on the horizon. “We did it!” Santiago exclaimed. “No more sharks for us, fish!” When they got closer to shore, Santiago could see a large crowd of people - the whole village! “I will take that hook out of your mouth and you will be free.” The fish swam to the side of the skiff and Santiago carefully and skillfully removed the hook. “I hope you do not get caught by another fisherman again, for they surely will not be as kind as I. Goodbye fish, live a long, happy life!” “Goodbye old man, and thank you for keeping your promise!” the fish exclaimed.
When Santiago reached the shore, he was greeted by all of his friends and family, and there was much rejoicing. Then as the old man looked out at the sea, the great fish jumped high out of the ocean for all to see. He seemed to hang there in the sky, the sunlight gleaming off his scales. Then, at last, the fish returned to the sea, and the old man wondered if he would ever see the fish again.
About the Author Sage Leary is a 15 year old sophomore at eAchieve Academy. He lives on the Chippewa river near Holcombe, Wisconsin. Sage's two main interests are fishing and playing guitar. He enjoys many different types of fishing and loves fishing in a variety of areas and regions. He also ties his own flies, which he uses when flyfishing, and enjoys making new fly patterns to try out and see which ones work best. He loves playing guitar, and has been playing since he was 11 years old. He has always enjoyed making up new sounds and songs, and playing them on guitar. He is very excited about is the release of his current album, Feel the Sound, which can be listened to on his website www.sageleary.com. Some of his other hobbies include mountain biking, snowboarding, wakeboarding, wake surfing, and playing outside.