The Salmon Who Dared to Leap Higher by Ahn Do-hyun

Author:Ahn Do-hyun [Do-hyun, Ahn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781447270010
Publisher: Pan Macmillan UK

As they swam upstream, the salmon flushed a progressively deeper red, and their lips began to bulge out. The male salmon’s teeth grew long and sharp, poking out between their lips so their mouths looked to be bristling with razors. This change happened because they had fallen in love, and needed to protect their female from any enemies.

Silver Salmon came across a salmon with a severely crooked back. His deformity was obvious when compared with other male salmon, the kink in his spine making it look as though he was permanently on the verge of making a sharp turn to the left. It was especially apparent whenever he stopped swimming and held himself still for a while.

When he encountered this odd-looking Bent-Back Salmon, Silver Salmon was the first to speak.

‘Hello!’ No answer. ‘What happened to your back?’ Still no answer. ‘Can’t you open your mouth?’ Silver Salmon shouted, exasperated. But Bent-Back Salmon still showed no sign of having heard. The only thing that betrays any possible response is the minute trembling of one fin, which seemed to spasm.

Now the penny dropped: in addition to having a crooked back, Bent-Back Salmon was mute. Only then did Silver Salmon realize that the excessive interest he’d been showing in the other salmon’s appearance was likely to be making him feel terribly ashamed.

Instead of using words, Silver Salmon spoke from the heart: ‘I’m sorry.’

‘It’s OK,’ Bent-Back Salmon replied in the same way, and with equal feeling. He explained that he’d never been sure why he looked the way he did.

‘Perhaps it’s because of the colourless, scentless water that flows out of the humans’ village,’ Silver Salmon suggested.

A pained expression flitted over Bent-Back Salmon’s face as he swam awkwardly alongside.

Suddenly the current grew stronger, churning up the water into a rough, tempestuous maelstrom. If you didn’t hold yourself strongly, the sheer force of the current would instantly sweep you downriver. The experience reminded Silver Salmon of the time the shoal had encountered a tidal wave, far out in the open ocean. He glanced around at the other salmon to see how they were faring; most looked to be engaged in a fierce battle to retain control of the line of their body.

The roar of the water seemed as though it would swallow the entire shoal in a single gulp, sucking them into its maw. Whatever was causing this terrible din was directly in front of them, from which direction countless air bubbles were scattering and gathering, gathering and scattering. Silver Salmon furled his fins and steeled himself, flexing every muscle in his body. Just then, someone up ahead shouted, ‘Rapids!’

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