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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781546254423 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
| Publication date: | 11/11/2018 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 102 |
| File size: | 46 MB |
| Note: | This product may take a few minutes to download. |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
In a small town in Zambia lived a family of four, Naomi, Xiam and their mother and father. The children's father was a fisherman who would go out every morning to catch fish at different rivers, lakes and ponds to provide food for his family.
Fish was scarce around parts of the town, especially that time of year.
Xiam's mother would spend long hours cooking dinner, while Naomi, Xiam's little sister, would help prepare side dishes to complement the fish that their father would bring.
Xiam was a studious ten-year-old lad always doing projects for school or reading about how the rest of the world lived.
Xiam heard commotion downstairs and went to see what was up.
"Oh no. Look! Your father is coming home with nothing on the string!" Xiam's mother exclaimed, holding Naomi's hand, looking out the window.
The door swung open and Xiam's father threw his fishing rod down and flung himself down in his easy chair pouting.
"Man-o-man, there's just not enough fish in the fishing holes these days. I am a great Fisherman; I have been successful providing food to my family up until this month. The little fish are hard to catch and theirs not nearly enough big fish to feed you all.
Naomi jumped up on her Daddy's lap, and said.
"That's Ok Daddy, we know how hard you try to provide for us, you'll get lucky one day. You just be patient." Naomi said, grabbed her father around his neck and kissed him on his cheek.
"You know Daddy, Xiam is studying to be real smart and one day he'll get a job in the city to make a lot of money for all of us." The girl commented.
"Hold on lil bit, it won't be that bad forever, it's just this time of year, the fish aren't biting right now that's all, your mother and I have provided all these years for you kids to enjoy your life. By the way, where is Xiam?" The man asked.
"Here I am Poppa!" Xiam replied, running down the stairs.
"Come here son, I haven't seen you all day; you were asleep when I left early this morning."
"I know Pops; I wanted to remind you that it's my birthday today." Xiam stated.
"I know Son, but I'm sorry to say, I have nothing to give you for your birthday, except for my special old gold coin I have.
Xiam's father pulled a leather bag out of his pocket opening and picked out a large shiny gold coin, and said.
"It was my Grandfather's, he kept it to bring him good luck and then he gave it to my father when he was young."
"I have always waited for this moment Son. My father gave his gold coin to me when I was your age and now I will give it to you. Here, take it and do not lose it, it has great sentimental value to me and will bring you good luck too." The boy's father said, handing the coin to Xiam.
CHAPTER 2Home SWEET Home
Thank you Poppa, I will cherish this lucky piece always." Xiam said, waving the shiny gold coin around, making it sparkle.
"Xiam go outside and look in the tool shed, I have something for you also." Xiam's mother said, with a small grin on her face.
"What is it momma?" Xiam asked.
"You'll see it's a surprise."
Xiam went outside and opened the tool shed door, his eyes opened wide. "WOO-hoo! A bike, just what I always wanted, my special gold coin is bringing me good luck already!" The boy exclaimed.
Xiam climbed on his new bike and rode it in the house, jumped off and kissed his mother, father and Naomi, then ran back to his bike to admire it.
"How do you like my bike Naomi?" Xiam asked.
Naomi quickly wiped off the big fat kiss Xiam planted on her cheek and replied.
"It's all-ight," rolling her eyes, jealous she hadn't gottten a bike when it was her birthday.
"Poppa can I ride my bike around the village?" Xiam asked.
"No not now, it's time to eat Son, maybe your mother will let you ride your bike tomorrow, since you don't have to go to school." His father replied, sitting down at the dinner table.
The next day, Xiam got up early, ate his breakfast, and ran outside to the tool shed. He pulled out his brand new bike and shined the chrome handlebars, honked the horn and peddled around their yard, being careful not to run over his mother's flowers.
The knobby tires on the bike would do a good job of chewing up his mother's flower garden and Xiam knew he did not want to spend the rest of his spring break on punishment if that happened.
The neighborhood kids waived at Xiam as he rode by their houses, Xiam grinned, gave them a thumb up, and honked his horn, knowing they were jealous of his new bike.
The proud boy rode out of his neighborhood, through the forest, down the winding dirt road until he reached his favorite pond. Xiam got off his bike and walked toward the water catching his breath after a hard ride.
He sat near the water's edge listening to the birds chirping, the wind blowing softly through the trees, and a woodpecker rhythmically tapping its initials into a tree. Altogether, it sounded like nature's orchestra playing a symphony. It was certainly a beautiful day for his birthday.
Xiam picked up a flat rock and threw it, making it skip across the smooth surface of the water.
Xiam stopped and looked deep in the water, something drew his attention to an object moving in the water, and he leaned even farther, over to the water's edge, curious to see what it was.
Suddenly, the coin that was in his shirt pocket fell out, plopped into the water and sank to the bottom of the pond.
"Oh no! My coin, it has disappeared in the water, and I can't reach it. What shall I do now?" The boy whined to himself as he looked in the glassy water and tried to locate his lucky coin.
The water began to swirl around and around in the pond, splashing Xiam. The boy backed up, looked out over the pond, wiped his face and saw, an oversized purple fish poking his head out of the water.
It said,
"BOO-YAH! What's the matter, boy?"
"Huh, you spoke? You're a talking fish?" Xiam asked, scooting farther back from the water's edge.
"Why yes, I'm a cool Aquiline, so what's your problem?" The purple metallic fish asked, glistening in the sun, wearing a bright red derby on his head.
"I dropped my coin in the water, and I can't get it." Xiam replied.
"Oh sure, you're trying to trick me like all the fisherman do." The big fish said. "What's your name boy?" The fish asked, keeping his distance.
"I'm Xiam and I'm not one of those fishermen.
I was riding my new bicycle I got for my birthday and I stopped here to rest." Xiam explained.
"So what's so special about your coin?" The fish asked, walking on his fins backwards on the water.
"It was my grandfather's lucky coin. He gave it to my Poppa when he was a kid, and in turn, gave it to me for my birthday. Now it's my lucky coin and it means a lot to me." Xiam whined, becoming sad.
"I guess you want me to get it for you?" The fish asked, looking down in the water where the shiny coin dropped.
"Wouldja, please? I would like that very much!" Xiam exclaimed, getting excited.
"Well ..." The fish, hesitated, and swam around in a circle.
"You seem like a nice kid," the fish replied, swimming around in a circle again.
"You did say please." The fish swam around again and thought some more and said, "Okay, I'll get it for you as long as you promise not to catch me."
"I promise, I promise, I won't catch you, I like you because you're really cool!" Xiam explained.
The fish dove down in the water and disappeared for a minute, Xiam looked hard in the water, and he began to see something shiny starting to surface.
The large fish brought the lucky gold coin to the surface of the pond and skated backwards on the glassy water. He danced with the shiny coin in his mouth, showing off in front of the boy as if he were on stage.
Xiam clapped his hands laughing; He rolled around on the ground as the fish changed colors from purple to orange then back to purple again.
"Xiam my friend, I see you like to be entertained and that's what I do."
Xiam could not believe his eyes and he chuckled, amazed by Aquateen's performance.
"Oh, yes, you are an unusual type of fish and I like your magical ways. How come you don't have your own show?" Xiam asked.
"Oh no my friend, I would have been caught, cooked and eaten by some fisherman's family by now. That's why I hide when the fisherman come to visit; they are not to be trusted," shouted the large purple fish, giving the shiny coin back to the boy.
Xiam mumbled to himself; "I better keep poppa away from here he could be a threat to this fish."
"What did you say?" The fish asked.
"Oh nothing really, I was just thinkin, my poppa is a fisherman and he looks for big fish like you but don't worry, I won't tell him. You're here you can trust me, I promise." The boy said.
"Well, I think I can trust you, so we can be friends can't we? It's lonely in this ole' pond, I just need someone to talk to." The fish replied, changing his colors, from purple to orange then back to purple again.
"Yes we can be friends, you don't have to be afraid of me, and I also need someone to talk to."
The boy said, "I wish you could stay with me in the large fish aquarium at my house, we can share our friendship forever." Xiam replied.
"Oh! Be careful what you wish for kid, remember I am a magical fish; you just might get your wish.
So whenever you want to see me again, say these secret words." The fish leaned over to the boy and whispered into to his ear.
"Aquateen, Aquateen, is nowhere to be seen, koom bah yah, koom bah yah. Say this twice and I will appear." "BOO-YAH!" The fish hollered out load, pushing away from the bank. He lay on his back with his fins placed behind his head floating across the water smiling.
"What's an Aquateen anyway?" Xiam asked.
The fish swirled and swirled around, changed his colors from purple, to orange, to yellow, then back to purple again, then stood on his hind fins and said,
"THAT'S ME! Goo - bye."
The fish twirled around like a spinning top and dove deep in the water then disappeared.
Xiam rubbed his eyes trying to get back with reality.
"Am I dreaming or what? That was the weirdest thing I ever seen, but that was cool." Thought Xiam, getting on his bike to ride back home.
He was just in time for lunch when he arrived.
Naomi, his sister was waiting by the door. She opened the screen and asked.
"Where have you been Xiam, you have never been gone away this long before."
"No where in particular." The boy replied shyly, shrugging his shoulders then rushed to the bathroom, to wash his hands to eat.
Naomi followed Xiam close behind, and stood at the bathroom door eyeing him, with her arms crossed and said.
"You snuck over to Cynthia's house didn't ya? I am going to tell. Mom! Xiam's been over to that girl's house again!"
Xiam's mother came from the kitchen to see what the commotion was.
Naomi hid behind her mother and sang. "Xiam's was kissing a girl, irl, Xiam's was kissing a girl, irl."
"Shush up Naomi." Xiam's mother shouted, fanning the girl away.
"Come on honey and eat, are you alright?"
"Yes ma'am."Xiam said, sneering at his nosey sister.
Naomi mumbled to herself. "Xiam's acting awfully strange, something's up and I'm going to find out."
Xiam's father had come home early with no fish again; he was so disappointed and said.
"I didn't even see one fish today but tomorrow I will be looking around for a different fishing spot. Soon we'll be eating fish for dinner, I promise!" Xiam's father proclaimed.
Xiam's mother must have known, he was going to come home empty handed again and had soup prepared, sitting on the table.
Xiam sat down and eat his vegetable soup with his family, while his father told the same ole story again, bragging about how he caught the biggest fish of any fisherman a year ago and finishing by saying.
"Remember what I say. Tomorrow I'm going to catch a whole mess of fish, I promise."
Xiam was worried, that if his father would find his favorite pond, he would catch his magical friend, Aquateen.
Xiam excused himself from the table and asked if he could ride his bike outside.
"Oh ... I guess you can, as long as you come in this house, before the sun sets on your behind." Replied Xiam's father, still feeling disappointed.
Xiam ran out of the house and left the door wide open.
Naomi snuck away from the table and thought to herself. "I know something's up. It's not like Xiam to leave the house this late, plus he left the door wide open, he's up to something and I'm going to find out!"
Naomi followed Xiam through the woods and stayed out of sight.
Xiam stopped at the pond got off his bike and looked around to see if anyone was watching him.
Naomi finally caught up with her brother and stood quietly behind a big oak tree, peeking around it to see what Xiam was up too.
The boy leaned over the pond's edge and started singing.
"Aquateen, Aquateen, is nowhere to be seen, koom ba yah, koom ba yah, Aquateen, Aquateen, is nowhere to be seen, koom ba yah, koom ba yah."
All of a sudden, the water started to swirl around and bubbles surfaced on the water and up popped the purple fish, standing on top of the water on his hind fins. His placed his side fins on his hips, demonstrating his dancing skills around the pond, and then stopped where Xiam waited.
"Hello my special friend , I've been waiting for you. How have you been? " The big over sized fish asked.
Wearing his bright red derby cocked to the side of his head smiling while skipping backwards.
I'm doing fine, but I came to warn you about my dad, he's going fishing tomorrow and he's determined to catch the biggest fish ever, if you know what I mean." Xiam said, looking alarmed.
"Don't worry about me kid, I'm old and I will probably get caught one of these days, but before then, my wish is to go ... Oh never mind." The fish stopped talking, and tipped his hat.
"What, tell me? Maybe I can help, "Xiam asked.
"Well, I would like to be around a lot of friends like you, who would like me for a friend, and not for a main dish. Ya know what I'm saying" The fish replied.
Xiam looked up in the sky and the sun was not there. He remembered what his father said about coming home before evening fell.
"I would like that very much too, but I got to go now Aquateen, before I get in trouble, I'll see you later." Xiam said, as he jumped on his bike starting to peddle away.
"Ok Xiam, until we meet again, goo-bye." The fish said, diving down in the water.
Naomi could not believe what she just saw. "Hum, I knew something was up with that boy!" Naomi thought to herself, as she took off running to beat Xiam back home.
"Wait till I tell Daddy where he can catch a fish that is so big that it would feed our family for several days."
Naomi arrived home and her father was lying on the couch relaxing.
"Daddy, daddy, guess what. I know where you can catch a BIG FISH!" Naomi exclaimed, tugging on her father's shirt, acting very excited.
"Where, where!" Naomi's father asked, quickly sitting up from the couch becoming excited himself.
"At Xiam's secret pond in the forest, but you have to say some secret words Xiam's uses to get him to surface!" The little girl exclaimed.
"Ah, aha! I didn't think any fish was in that pond." The man said.
"What were you saying Pops?" Xiam asked, rushing in the door in a hurry, thinking he might have heard something about a fish.
"Uh, uh I was just telling Naomi I didn't think there was any ice-cream in the freezer." Xiam's father said sheepishly, not to let on what Naomi's discovery was.
The next day, Xiam's mother told him to go to town to buy some cornmeal and bread for dinner.
"What's the special occasion Mom?" Xiam asked.
"Oh we're just having your friend over for dinner." His mother replied.
Xiam looked worried and reluctantly took the money from his mom, walked outside climbed on his bike and rode slowly towards town.
"Something's up, cornmeal is for cooking fish but, Poppa didn't catch any fish yesterday. Naomi must have told Poppa about Aquateen's whereabouts at the pond. That's what mom meant, when she said, they're having my friend for dinner. I better check the pond soon." He would be caught and eaten.
The next morning Naomi and her father made a very early visit to the pond.
Naomi showed her father where the pond was located. She tried to remember the secret song too bring Aquateen to the surface. They took turns with her father, singing different versions of the chant.
"Oval teen has been seen, Oval teen has been seen. No, that's not it."
Naomi sang louder, leaning over the waters edge. Then her father tried.
"How about this Naomi, Aquateen, Aquateen is nowhere to be seen, arise!" The Fisherman sang, throwing his hands in the air, waiting for the fish to surface.
"Naw, daddy. That's not it either, let's see ... Oh, I know, here it goes ..." Naomi began to sang, sitting on edge of pond.
In the meantime, Xiam proceeded to wake up get dressed and ran outside mounted his bike, riding fast towards the pond, as he arrived, he parked his bike and rushed to the edge of the pond, looked over his shoulder to see if anyone was watching and began to chant the secret song.
"Aquateen, Aquateen, is nowhere to be seen, koom bah yah, koom bah yah, Aquateen, Aquateen, is nowhere to be seen, koom bah yah, koom bah yah!"
Xiam kneeled down, and leaned over the water and waited. He did not see a thing and he heard nothing, so he sang louder.
"Aquateen, Aquateen, is nowhere to be seen, koom bah yah, koom bah yah. Aquateen, Aquateen, is nowhere to be seen, koom bah yah, koom bah yah!
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Xiam's Fish"
by .
Copyright © 2018 Ozzie Morrow Jr..
Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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