Storyclover
Storyclover
At sunrise, Pip the small fish practised his fastest swim between the reeds.
The Fish Who Asked for One More DayA small fish begs a fisher to let him grow bigger, but the fisher keeps the sure catch instead of trusting a promise.
1. At sunrise, Pip the small fish practised his fastest swim between the reeds.
2. Then Pip saw a crumb of bread dangling from a shiny hook. It smelled like breakfast.
3. Pip nibbled once. The line tightened, and up he came.
4. The fisher placed Pip in a bucket of river water. Pip blinked up at him.
5. “Please,” Pip said. “Give me one more day. I am still very small.”
6. “If I let you go,” said the fisher, “you promise to return when you are big?”
7. “I promise,” Pip said. “Tomorrow I will be twice as big, and twice as tasty.”
8. The fisher carried Pip to the river and lowered him into the cool water.
9. The next morning, Pip remembered his promise. He swam toward the fisher’s boat.
10. But the hook looked sharper, and the crumb looked smaller. Pip stopped.
11. Pip had promised to return, but he had not promised to be caught again.
12. Pip tucked himself behind a stone. The fisher waited, but Pip did not bite.
13. At last, another fish took the bait. The fisher pulled in a sure catch.
14. Pip called, “Wait! I am here. I came back just as I promised!”
15. “Take me instead,” Pip begged. “I am bigger now. I will be bigger still tomorrow.”
16. The fisher shook his head. “A sure catch is here. Tomorrow is only a promise.”
17. Pip watched the fisher leave with the sure catch. Then he swam home.
18. Pip kept his promise to himself. He would grow tomorrow, and the day after that.
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