Rath, the Fish Boy

By: Nathan Coyle

Once upon a time in a small village near the Tonl Sap in Cambodia lived a boy named Rath. He wasnt a special boy, mainly because he came from a poor family. The one thing he could do though was talk to animals. One morning he rose out to go fishing with his father. Part of their daily routine was to go earlier in the morning. Their familys house was made mostly of wood with some boards missing from the sides. There was not enough money for a bed or heating. So the nights were spent huddled up against the walls with a blanket. When his Father did get money it was from the fish he cought. As they paddled out in the makeshift canoe they had been using for years Rath climbed up front. The water was

calm and almost as clear as glass. Sitting in silence Rath and his father sat watching the sun come up from behind the town. In the boat Rath watched calmly waiting for the fish to bite. They usually got one or two fish for the day, but this morning he couldnt seem to get anything to bite. The fishing line just waited bobbing in the water. By noon they had given up, sweat dripping they paddled back through the heat of the day. As he walked back along the shoreline to put the canoe away, he saw Sopheak one of his fathers friends that he fished with. Sopheak had a long twisted net of twine wrapped in his hands. Dozens of Kranh, or giant perch withered within the net. The sight made Rath depressed and weak. He knew people fished but using a net. Rath had heard from his father that the fish are people too. When we are using the nets we are like cheating in a game. Thats specifically why he and his Father use the rod. Rath ran up to Sopheak and shouted him Johm Riab Sua!( Hello sir)

How are you? asked Sopheak. Good, you use a net? Everyone is catching fish with a net its quicker and much more efficient. Oh, ok thank you. As Rath walked back to his small straw house on the river he wondered to himself why would people take the fish from the river by cheating? As he came home he climbed the ladder to his house and the first things he saw his father collapsed on the floor sobbing. What is wrong, Father? I went out to fish again son, but there was no fish. I saw Sopheak, father he had a fish and in his hand a net. Rath spoke with urgency. The people are taking fish out of the lake? Yes, but I will go and get the fish back! Rath rushed into town and saw hundreds of barrels full of fish. His father sold the fish at the local market for about 2 Riel. His Father would lose

his job if he didnt get the fish back. But as Rath glanced at the men rushed fish in one by one in nets he knew he needed to help his Father. It was getting dark out and the sun was red and starting to fall behind the horizon. He could hear the fish talking. Iv, iv! the fish plead for help and freedom. Rath counted the amount of fish they caught; fifteen buckets with about twenty-five fish in each. These amounts of fish were about how much his Father made in a year. He decided to wait and come back later tonight he had a plan and he was going to need all the help he could get. He got home and his father had prepared a dish of fish and rice. It was stale and didnt have enough salt but he didnt complain. After his father thought he was asleep Rath leaped out the window, it wasnt a hard fall but he had to brace himself. He grasped his dads machete at his side

used mainly for house construction and dashed down the road towards the town.

He needed to not alert the townspeople as he climbed up to cut down the banana leaves. He was going to create a gutter so he could slide the barrels of fish down back into the river. As he just stabled his footing at the top when he noticed he didnt have any ropes tied onto him. This was the exact moment Rath lost his footing and fell twenty-four feet to the ground. Clutching his left arm couldnt move and he was struggling to catch his breath. He was scared and in shock but trying to stay calm. Rath grabbed his limp arm and tried getting home. His Father snored like an elephant so there was no need to be quiet coming in. He crept into his room and flattened the blanket against his body staring up at the ceiling. As Rath got lost in his thoughts he finally closed his eyes and slept.

The next day Raths father tied his arm with a sling made up of a brace from the bamboo. Every day there were fewer and fewer fish in the river. His Father usually didnt talk about money but now Rath was worried and asked Father if there are no fish for you to catch where do you get your money? I am not getting as much money Son sighed his Father. That was the end of their conversation for the night. The annual market was planned to start in three days. It is one of the most happy days of his Fathers life, but with no fish it wouldnt happen. Two days before the market Rath ran to find the Buddhist monk named Bhikkhu he was the wisest and if Rath had any hope of getting the fish for his Father it was through him.

Bhikkhu, Bhikkhu! shouted Rath when he entered the monastery.

Quite child I know why you are here come sit. They sat talking about the market and the fish. Rath presented the Monk with many ideas but none seemed to work. He had told the Monk about trying to free the fish before and about his arm. Wise idea child. spoke Bhikku Are there any other options?questioned Rath. There was no response, almost as if the monk had given up himself. The monk was old and wrinkles filled his face. Still Rath could tell there was doubt of getting the fish back to help his father. In the end Rath thanked the monk for his time and left with only a frown on his face. He had only two days left to help his father. When he got home that night his father was staring out at the river. It used to be filled with the fish they would come home with. He remembered that his father would always come home from fishing happy. When they go out fishing

sometimes they caught nothing, but the people who used the nets would always. By now his arm was starting to heal up but the voices of the fish were long gone. He would walk by town and see there were no barrels of fish left. He was so close to helping the fish but he had failed them, his father, and everyone else in the town. His father had decided to give up because he had no hope of being in the fish market. The evening before the market Rath went out in his canoe. He paddled down almost brushing aside the water from his canoe but as he went a little more upstream he could see the fisherman again using their nets. He was done just watching these fish die and be taken away. Diving into the water Rath could see all the little fish being trapped in the mans net but they couldnt get out. Ripping the net couldnt work he had tried before but he started to t call out to the trei kl reng, the Giant Barb a rare fish almost 10ft long swam

from under his resting place by a rock to his side. The fish rammed its 600 pounds into the side of the mans small fishing boat. As the man tipped to one side he released the net and all the fish fled. The man got up and cursed into the water. Not seeing Rath slip away to the market. The spices, fish, and bamboo crafts were filling the market stalls kids pushing by trying to convince their parents to buy them toys. He then saw Sopheak modeling all the fish he had caught and he became enraged. That should have been his father selling the fish. He rushed by the people to where Sopheak was sitting and commented Those are some nice fish you have there! a little louder than he had intended. Yes they were very hard to catch! a small grin appearing on his face. What Rath said next words were not supposed to come out but they did?

If you so good at fishing than I challenge you? We will go out and the person with more fish wins! Your joking little boy? scoffed Sopheak you are nothing of a fisherman compared to me. Then prove it? If I win I get the fish in your market and you cannot use a net anymore? demanded Rath. But if I win? Sopheak asked with a little more urgency. I will never bother you ever again. said Rath. Deal! shouted Sopheak. They had the attention from the crowd now as they both headed out into their separate boats. He had promised that he would never use his powers for greed. But he cared too much about his Father to let this one slip. Rath had a plan, every time the fish would swim towards Sopheaks net Rath would shout to them.

As competition raged on the crowd was getting restless. They had no idea why Sopheak, one of the best fishermen of the Tonl Sap could not catch a fish. You are a cheater boy! demanded Sopheak. I never cheat, you are the one who uses the net! responded Rath calmly. Finally Rath caught a fish with the pole he had set up at the end of the canoe. Holding it up for the crowd to see and they cheered. Sopheak finally gave up, struggling to understand why no fish were in his net. The competition was over he now had the fish, money, and his Fathers job back all in one night. As he walked to the stands where he would sell the fish he just earned he walked into his Father. I saw what you did son. spoke his Father. Dad dont you see? You can fish again! Rath shouted. His Fathers face was priceless he just smiled like he had caught all the fish in

the world. There was nothing more to be said Rath hugged his Father and they went to go sell their fish together.