The youngest son unhappily but obediently took a spear and a skin boat and put to sea. He was out on the water three days and there were no fish. When he ran out of fresh sweet water he turned back, although he knew his family would be angry and he was afraid.

Before he could reach shore, a giant fish, the biggest fish in the sea, found him and ate him up, boat and all.

The giant of the sea turned the boy over in its mouth and belly and brain. Finally it said, "Boy, you taste kinda funny. I think I may have to spit you back out."

"Well," said the boy, "I can't say I'm sorry about that." And he began grabbing all the little fish within reach and putting them in his boat. So the giant fish spat the boy and his boat and his stolen fish out and the boy went home, so happy to be alive that he felt like lightning was shooting out of the top of his head and he could not stop grinning.

When the boy dragged his boat up onto the beach, his family came down to greet him. "Who are you?" they said, looking at his boat full of fish, "And where is our boy?"

"I'm your boy," he said. "It's me."

"You don't look the same. You don't sound the same."

"Really? I was rolled around a lot on the tongue of a giant fish. It may have had some sort of effect."

His family stared in dismay. "We don't much like the effect, son."

The boy sighed. "Right. I'll just drop off these here fish, collect some more water and be on my way again, shall I?"

"Are you going to go try to get changed back?" they asked him hopefully.

"No," said the boy. "But I am going fishing."
......................................................................................................© knd