Старик и море

           Someoftheyoungerfishermen,thosewhousedbuoysasfloatsfortheirlinesandhadmotorboats,boughtwhenthesharklivershadbroughtmuchmoney,spokeofheraselmarwhichismasculine. Theyspokeofherasacontestantoraplaceorevenanenemy. Buttheoldmanalwaysthoughtofherasfeminineandassomethingthatgaveorwithheldgreatfavours, andifshedidwildorwickedthingsitwasbecauseshecouldnothelpthem. Themoonaffectsherasitdoesawoman,hethought. 

           Hewasrowingsteadilyanditwasnoeffortforhimsincehekeptwellwithinhisspeedandthesurfaceoftheoceanwasflatexceptfortheoccasionalswirlsofthecurrent. Hewaslettingthecurrentdoathirdoftheworkandasitstartedtobelighthesawhewasalreadyfurtheroutthanhehadhopedtobeatthishour. 

           Iworkedthedeepwellsforaweekanddidnothing,hethought. TodayI’llworkoutwheretheschoolsofbonitaandalbacoreare andmaybetherewillbeabigonewiththem. 

           Beforeitwasreallylighthehadhisbaitsoutandwasdriftingwiththecurrent. Onebaitwasdownfortyfathoms. Thesecondwasatseventy-fiveandthethirdandfourthweredowninthebluewateratonehundredandonehundredandtwenty-fivefathoms. Eachbaithungheaddownwiththeshankofthehookinsidethebaitfish,tiedandsewedsolid andalltheprojectingpartofthehook,thecurveandthepoint,wascoveredwithfreshsardines. Eachsardinewashookedthroughbotheyessothattheymadeahalf-garlandontheprojectingsteel.