Старик и море

           Iamonlybetterthanhimthroughtrickeryandhemeantmenoharm. 

           Theysailedwellandtheoldmansoakedhishandsinthesaltwaterandtriedtokeephisheadclear. Therewerehighcumuluscloudsandenoughcirrusabovethem sothattheoldmanknewthebreezewouldlastallnight. Theoldmanlookedatthefishconstantlytomakesureitwastrue. Itwasanhourbeforethefirstsharkhithim. 

           Thesharkwasnotanaccident. Hehadcomeupfromdeepdowninthewaterasthedarkcloudofbloodhadsettledanddispersedinthemiledeepsea. Hehadcomeupsofastandabsolutelywithoutcautionthathebrokethesurfaceofthebluewaterandwasinthesun. Thenhefellbackintotheseaandpickedupthescent andstartedswimmingonthecoursetheskiffandthefishhadtaken. 

           Sometimeshelostthescent. Buthewouldpickitupagain,orhavejustatraceofit,andheswamfastandhardonthecourse. HewasaverybigMakoshark builttoswimasfastasthefastestfishinthesea andeverythingabouthimwasbeautifulexcepthisjaws. 

           Hisbackwasasblueasaswordfish’sandhisbellywassilverandhishidewassmoothandhandsome. Hewasbuiltasaswordfishexceptforhishugejawswhichweretightshutnow asheswamfast,justunderthesurfacewithhishighdorsalfinknifingthroughthewaterwithoutwavering. Insidethecloseddoublelipofhisjawsallofhiseightrowsofteethwereslantedinwards. Theywerenottheordinarypyramid-shapedteethofmostsharks. Theywereshapedlikeaman’sfingerswhentheyarecrispedlikeclaws.