The Old Man and The Sea
By: Ernest Hemmingway Adapted By: Asia Buman Illustrated By: Pennie Kavanaugh
“Santiago, I know you’re disappointed that we didn’t catch anything today, but let me tell you a story,” Manolin said. “Many, many years ago, before I even met your mother, I had a friend named Santiago.”
“The old man that you named me after?” Santiago asked.
“Yes, son. He taught me many things, including everything I know about fishing.”
“One time he was having a run of bad luck. He went over 80 days without catching a single fish.
“My parents forbade me to go fishing with him, because we relied on the fish we caught for survival.
“Even Santiago said I should continue to fish with another fisherman that was having a good amount of luck.”
“We would go out to fish very early in the morning, before the sun was even awake, and stay out all day until we caught enough fish.
“Every evening I would wait for Santiago to come back to see if his luck had changed. I was hoping my parents would allow me to fish with Santiago again once they saw he had a successful day of fishing.”
“But one day, I waited all evening by the seaside for Santiago to return. His boat never came back that night. I was so worried that something bad happened to him, and I was mad at my parents for not letting me fish with him.
“For 3 days I wandered down to the sea to see if I could spot Santiago. I would cry myself to sleep each night, fearing the worst, but hoping for the best.”
“Little did I know, during this time, Santiago had caught the biggest fish anyone had ever seen. It was so big that Santiago had fought with it for days.�
“The fish was bigger than Santiago’s boat, so he had to pull it through the water behind him. Because of the intense struggle, the fish was leaving a trail of blood behind that attracted sharks. Santiago tried to fight off the sharks, but the old man was no match for them. The sharks ended up eating the fish.
“When Santiago finally made it back to our village, all that was left of the fish were the bones.”
“I was so relieved to see Santiago that I wept with joy.
“Once my parents saw the size of the fish Santiago had caught, they knew the streak of bad luck was over. They allowed me to fish with him again.
“Those days on the sea with Santiago were the best days of my childhood.”
About the Author Asia Buman is 16 years old. She resides in Kaukauna, Wisconsin with her family. She lives with her mother, father, younger brother, and her dog. She has two older brothers that no longer live at home. Asia’s hobbies include reading, playing the piano, and watching movies.
About the Illustrator Pennie Kavanaugh was born on March 22nd, 1941. She is an only child. She has 5 children and 17 grandchildren, including Asia. She is a seasoned traveller and has hosted over 50 exchange students from around the world over the years. She has stage IV liver cancer and has been an inspiration to many people.