A story of fishes

Long ago it was believed that the fishes lived on land and not in water. The fishes did everything that the other animals did on land.

Once a tribe of fishes came back from hunting.

It was hot so the fishes decided to rest under a huge tree near the bank of a river.

Thuggai who was the chief of the fishes along with Biernuga, the bony fish and Kumbal, the bream, cooked the food that they had hunted.

Guddhu was a cod fish and he was always quiet. The other fishes all were looking at the fire that they had created to cook their food. Some fishes were happily dancing around the fire.

After eating their hearts fell the fishes were tired and they all went to sleep.

It so happened that while the fishes were asleep, dark clouds gathered at the place that they were sleeping. The dark clouds started pouring immediately.

Worse, an icy chill wind also blew through the place.

The fishes were huddled miserably in the rain and cold wind because the fire that the fishes had created had been put out because of the rains. Under the direction of Thuggai, the other fishes tried to build the fire again. But none of the fishes could do it. Finally a little young fish told Thuggai that the cod fish had magic in him and he could create a fire.

Guddhu patiently started creating a fire and soon he was successful.

As soon as the fire started burning, Guddhu asked the other fishes to bring more wood. They were about to bring more wood when a gust of wind blew through the place.

The fishes were at the back of a river. So when the gust of wind blew all the fishes were thrown into the water.

The fishes were trembling even worse in the water and that was when the wind blew the fire also inside the water.

Unlike on land the fire is not put out under the water. The warmth of the fire spread throughout and the fishes decided to stay around the fire to keep themselves warm forever.

That is why on the cold surface of water when ice is formed on the surface of the water, underneath the surface, the waters are warm. It is quite pleasant and unlike the fishes you will be sorry that you cannot stay there forever.

Folk Story from Australia