Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Gone Fishing (02/01/07)
TITLE: The Duel
By Paul Servini
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The soaring heat was conducive to little else but sleep. But of the four drooping eyes, one remained firmly fixed on the taut line searching for the slightest movement, a sign that a passing fish had snapped up the bait
As yet the two men had little to do but pass away the time of day and greet curious onlookers who paused to ask the time-worn question: “Caught anything?”
To the stranger fishing was a simple matter of chance. Either the fish would bite or it wouldn’t. But the bream snaking its way along the bottom of the river knew better. Fishing was not about luck. Much more, it was about the battle of wits between fisher and fish, each trying to outdo each other, each trying to gain the upper hand.
Just as the fisher’s eye was fixed incessantly on his line, so the fish scoured furtively the river bed in search of food, at the same time looking out for the tell-tale signs of danger. And even if a fish did bite into the bait, all was not lost. There then began an almighty battle as the fisher tried to land his prize whilst the fish fought to the last for its life.
The wise fish knows how important it is to conserve its strength. If he ever got caught, he would require every last ounce of his resources to get away. That, and staying out of danger were its chief preoccupations.
Suddenly, there was a jerk on the line. The fisher quickly had control of the situation but was disappointed to discover nothing more than a tiddler on the end of his line. The wise fish had seen the tiddler disappear and, aware of the danger, raced away at full speed. A maize corn beckoned. Oblivious to the danger the fish snapped up the corn knowing how welcome it would be to replete his reserves once he got away. The jerk took him completely by surprise; so much so that he failed to put up any kind of fight. Before he knew it, he was dangling in the air, squirming furiously in a futile effort to keep away from the grasp of another fisher.
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