High tide, low tide - Tay Ninh Online Newspaper

The water rose. The cuckoo's cry was anxiously coming from the Sau Ham canal. The water gently caressed the edge of the beach, gradually rising to cover the clumps of reeds, reaching the base of the topless mangrove tree. Muddy circles wriggled along the water's edge. Fish and crabs were feeding as the water rose, and a moment later, when the tide was low, they disappeared into the vast expanse of water.

Ut Duc groped along the wriggling, looking intently into the water. He was not lurking to catch crabs or mullet, but looking for a pair of mudskippers. At noon, when the tide was low, he discovered mudskipper footprints from the edge of the beach to the base of a truncated mangrove tree. People used to say mudskippers have legs, but in fact those were two fins on their chests, big and thick like two arms, helping mudskippers run across the mud or climb up low tree roots. Four parallel footprints on the mud surface proved that this was a mudskipper couple going out to find food together. Ut Duc was overjoyed. For the past few days, his pregnant wife had been whining and refusing to eat, always craving mudskippers grilled with salt and chili. He promised his wife:

- Just lie down and rest! I'll have fish in just one session!

- Dad, don't vomit! Be careful or you'll step on a stone fish and end up in a heap!

Hearing his wife mention the stonefish, the youngest son shivered. It was truly a… devilish fish. Looking at its green, thorny body, he knew how dangerous it was. Stonefish also often hunted for food in high tides. Anyone who went fishing or digging for crabs and accidentally stepped on a stonefish would have its poisonous spines prick their feet. The pain was indescribable, and they would lie there with their feet hanging hot for three days. Ut Duc heard his grandfather say that in the past, his grandparents called the stonefish the “three-chicken” fish, because when it hurt, people would invite a shaman to kill a chicken for an offering, one a day, and after three days it would get better. That year, Ut Duc went to catch shrimp in the Sau Ham canal, and stepped on that devil, and he lay there groaning for three days, then he was fine. He didn’t offer chicken or duck. But thinking about his pregnant wife who craved food, he forgot to worry. He would be careful. If he accidentally touched it, the pain would go away after three days, right?

The mudskipper suddenly emerged from the water, opened its bulging eyes and looked around, then nimbly crawled towards the mangrove tree. A moment later, a fatter female mudskipper slowly emerged and followed, her dorsal fin looking like a small sail. It seemed like this was a married couple. Ut Duc stepped forward, and the two mudskippers quickly dived into the hole next to the tree. Ut Duc sniffed:

- You, grapefruit! Are you planning to hide in a cave?

But looking closely at the cave, Ut Duc shook his head. This cave was deep into the mangrove roots, and digging would hit a tangled mass of tree roots, making it difficult to catch fish. Hmm! I have a way! Ut Duc returned, conveniently cutting some water coconut leaves, and busily weaving a trap. This funnel-shaped trap had an entrance, but no exit. Once the fish entered, they would have to endure the ordeal. He would place it in front of the cave and wait for the fish to get caught. Even though it was getting dark, Ut Duc still used his flashlight to wade out to the beach. He had to place the trap before midnight when the tide rose, and the fish would come out to look for food.

Lying down at night listening to the rustling wind blowing, a few dry leaves falling gently in the garden. Ut Duc gently rubbed his wife's pregnant belly.

- Try to sleep! Tomorrow I will grill mudskipper for you to eat!

- Is he serious?

- Really! Found its cave!

Sleep gradually sank in, in the warmth of two tightly clasped hands. Suddenly from the deep night, the sound of a flock of lapwings rang out “beep, beep, beep”. Ut Duc crawled out of the mosquito net, sat down to light a cigarette. The water began to rise, in about an hour it would cover the sedge bed. The mudskipper would crawl out of its hole, smelling the dead worms in the trap. Without waiting for the sky to be completely light, as soon as he heard the lapwings calling to signal low tide, he quickly hung the flashlight on his head and left the house.

Ut Duc almost shouted with joy when he heard the rustling sound in the trap. As soon as he got back to the yard, he shouted:

- Mom, I have grilled fish with salt and chili!

The wife held her stomach with both hands and gently walked out.

- Dad, you're so good! Just put it in the big jar, cover it. Let me dip it in the salt and pepper!

Ut Duc gasped:

- Yeah! Lock it up! Let me catch the other one, and roast it to eat!

He was busy weaving a new trap, and would set another trap tonight. The other fish was definitely still in the cave and had not come out yet. The mudskipper was trapped in a shallow jar. It opened its eyes wide and looked around the mouth of the jar, then frantically climbed up. The jar was slippery, causing it to fall to the bottom with a thud. This mudskipper had a long, slim, and strong body. It clung to its two fins like two arms, but was powerless to climb up.

As soon as the tide rose, Ut Duc carried his fishing net to the beach. The water lapped around the dry mangrove tree, the tree with its top cut off like an old man sitting and dozing. Clumps of small shrimps and prawns swam happily as the water level rose. Ut Duc strained his eyes to look around, and without much difficulty discovered the female mudskipper lying still at the entrance of the cave. He tiptoed through the mud closer, trying not to make any noise with his feet. The fish opened its bulging eyes, angrily looking at the man who was raising his arms, preparing to catch it. Ut Duc jumped up to grab it, certain that the fish would be caught. His body fell into the mud, just as the mudskipper dodged, quickly slithering to the left. It only ran about a meter, then stopped, its eyes defiant. Ut Duc was equally quick, leaning to the right, and pounced again. The fish was only a hand's breadth away, when it suddenly jumped up to the mangrove tree stump, wagging its tail. Angry and helpless, Ut Duc picked up a handful of mud and threw it at the fish. It was hit by the bullet, fell into the water, lazily carried its round belly, and crawled into the cave. Ut Duc rushed forward, thrusting his right arm in, the mud and water reached up to his armpit, the cave was very deep. Several branches of mangrove roots scratched his arm, but did not touch the fish. Ut Duc lay face down on the mud, the front half of his shirt was soaked. His arm was pulled out of the cave mouth with a squeal, from inside the cave shot out a black snake head, then a cobra writhed and rushed away. Oh my god! Any later, he would have been bitten by the snake. Ut Duc gasped. It was no good. Now there was water to dig a hole with. No matter how hard it was, I would have taken you back, listen to the fish. My wife is pregnant, she craves grilled fish with salt and chili, you guys try to endure the hardship.

Seeing her husband covered in mud, Ut Duc's wife felt so sorry and burst into tears:

- Oh my god! Tell him to stop! I don't crave grilled fish with salt and chili anymore!

Ut Duc hid the encounter with the cobra and went to look for a stick.

- This wife fish has gone all the way into the cave. Let me dig it out. It has a belly full of eggs, it can't run far!

-Oh my god! So she's pregnant?

Ut Duc turned around and walked away, not having time to answer his wife. The log he had nailed to the cave entrance was still intact, and his wife's gecko was probably still inside. Aiming at the direction the cave would go through the other side of the tree, he eagerly turned the log over. The cave was now exposed, even wider than the entrance. No wonder the cobra was able to get in. The tree roots began to disrupt the process, blocking the gecko from being stuck into the ground. They formed long strands like arms, determined to protect the deep cave. Ut Duc leaned on the log, breathing heavily. I haven't given up yet, you hear me. There's one last trick left, which is to put in bait to lure the gecko.

Late at night, the sky poured down a downpour, as if pouring down angrily to share with Ut Duc. Lying next to his wife, he tossed and turned, having trouble sleeping, thinking about the female mudskipper. At this hour, it was probably still hiding in its deep cave, not yet crawling out to find food. The male mudskipper was still crawling around in the jar, looking for a chance to escape.

- Okay! I'll grill it with salt and pepper tomorrow!

Holding her husband's calloused hand and gently rubbing her pregnant belly, the wife suddenly woke up.

- What! What did you say?

- Let's not wait for the female mudskipper anymore! We can catch it later. Tomorrow I will grill the male mudskipper for you and your mother to eat.

The wife was surprised:

- Huh! Are you still planning to catch the mother fish?

- It's carrying a belly full of eggs! That's delicious and nutritious!

- Oh my god! The mother fish is about to give birth?

- Yes! It's very smart, it crawled all the way into the cave. Tomorrow I'll go buy a fishing hook. It will catch it!

The wife sat up wearily, leaning her hands on her husband's muscular chest:

- Never mind! I'm not hungry anymore! Let the fish go, dad!

- No way! Feed your baby so he can grow up quickly and be born!

Early in the morning, Ut Duc took his old Honda motorbike out to the yard.

- Dad is going to find a fishing hook! What do you want to eat so I can buy it for you? Pork leg noodle soup?

- I'm sick of eating pork leg all the time! Buy me a box of sticky rice and beans for five thousand! By the way, dad! Is that mudskipper cave in the reed bed near Sau Ham canal?

- Yes! Right at the base of the stump. It's very close. By noon, when the tide is low, I'll have finished fishing!

The wife carried her big belly to the door.

- Go slowly, Dad! Don't drink alcohol after breakfast. Be careful or the police will arrest you and you'll have to leave that car behind.

- I remember! Why do you keep cursing me?

- No more! If the police fine you two million, you'll have to give up your car. My dad's chicken-headed, duck-butt car was sold for five hundred thousand!

Ut Duc rode his bike, the exhaust pipe billowing smoke into the sky, the engine roaring like the laughter of a drunken farmer.

The wife walked into the kitchen. She came to the eel-colored jar. The wooden cutting board covering the jar's mouth was slightly open. At the bottom of the jar, the tired fish lay with its bulging eyes half-closed, not bothering to rush up to find a way to escape like usual. After two days of being locked up, it looked like it had just recovered from an illness. Poor thing! Must be very hungry? Also worried about his pregnant wife! Right? Its bulging eyes were wide open, its two front fins scratching the sides of the jar. It seemed to understand human language.

- Luckily I didn't have time to stab the salt and pepper bowl yesterday, your butt would have been on Ut Duc's grill! That guy doesn't dare do anything for his wife and children!

Anxiety suddenly surged in her stomach, a sharp pain, making her gasp. Fumbling, she tried to herd the male mudskipper into the nylon bag, but it wriggled slowly and escaped. After a while, the male mudskipper was caught by the pregnant woman. It wriggled lazily in her tightly held hand. A dark laugh. It was strange to escape from my hand! The mouth of the nylon bag was tied tightly, the rustling sounds gradually faded, then stopped. The mudskipper lay still, accepting its fate.

Ut Duc quickly parked the bike in the middle of the yard, took out the fishing line from his pocket, and busily tied it to the hook. To be sure, he took a lighter and burned the end of the line, making the bike stiff again. Huh! Where did the pregnant mother go? Why is she so quiet? Now, find an earthworm, hook it up as bait and it's done. Take the opportunity to set the hook and wait for the tide to rise.

Wading out to the reed field, Ut Duc was shocked to see his wife standing near the stump of a mangrove tree with her pants rolled up.

- Where are you going in this sun?

Ut Duc shouted.

The wife smiled slyly:

- I brought the male mudskipper to his wife!

Ut Duc stood rooted to the spot in the mud. His mouth stuttered.

-What...what...what? Is she being mean to me?

- Let him go home to take care of his wife and children, dad! His wife is about to give birth.

Ut Duc was stunned. Yes! His wife's mudskipper was carrying a belly full of eggs. But then there was the grilled mudskipper with salt and chili, how could he feed it to his wife? Women are so complicated.

- Let's go home, I'm getting sunburned! If you want to release the fish, just tell me. What do you mean by putting your head out in the sun?

The wife waded after her husband. The water was rising, sloshing under their feet. The mouth of the fish hole at the base of the mangrove tree was also near the flood. The couple must have been very happy.

PPQ

Source: https://baotayninh.vn/nuoc-lon-nuoc-rong-a179079.html