El Viejo Y El Mar

The Old Man and the Sea Asiaing.com

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He is hitting the wire leader with his spear, he [87] thought. That was bound to come.

He had to do that. It may make him jump though and I would rather he stayed circling

now. The jumps were necessary for him to take air. But after that each one can widen the

opening of the hook wound and he can throw the hook.

“Don’t jump, fish,” he said. “Don’t jump.”

The fish hit the wire several times more and each time he shook his head the old

man gave up a little line.

I must hold his pain where it is, he thought. Mine does not matter. I can control

mine. But his pain could drive him mad.

After a while the fish stopped beating at the wire and started circling slowly again.

The old man was gaining line steadily now. But he felt faint again. He lifted some sea

water with his left hand and put it on his head. Then he put more on and rubbed the back

of his neck.

“I have no cramps,” he said. “He’ll be up soon and I can last. You have to last. Don’t

even speak of it.”

He kneeled against the bow and, for a moment, slipped the line over his back again.

I’ll rest now while he goes out on the circle and then stand up and work on him when he

comes in, he decided.

[88] It was a great temptation to rest in the bow and let the fish make one circle by

himself without recovering any line. But when the strain showed the fish had turned to

come toward the boat, the old man rose to his feet and started the pivoting and the

weaving pulling that brought in all the line he gained.

I’m tireder than I have ever been, he thought, and now the trade wind is rising. But

that will be good to take him in with. I need that badly.

“I’ll rest on the next turn as he goes out,” he said. “I feel much better. Then in two or

three turns more I will have him.”

His straw hat was far on the back of his head and he sank down into the bow with the

pull of the line

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