The Sword Fish

By Donald Kalpokas

The Sword Fish is a warrior as far as human beings and other fish are concerned. He lives on other little fish, and he can move very fast.

One day feeling a bit proud of himself, he decided to have a run ning competition with the Helmet Crab. The poor Helmet was a very slow runner; he was worried; he knew that if he were not successful the Sword Fish would eat him. He agreed on the condition that the Sword Fish was to give him time to have a rest for several days.

The Helmet was so clever that he used the days to meet the other Hel mets. He arranged with them to stand by. They were to be at certain points on the day of competition to watch out for the Sword Fish.

The day finally came, and they were ready to go. The Helmet was to run along the coast and the Sword Fish was to swim along in the sea.

From the word go, the Helmet did not even move an inch. When the Sword Fish came to the first point, he shouted. To his surprise, the Hel met was there. The same was re peated for the second point. The Sword Fish was very worried. He thought to himself that perhaps the Helmet was not as slow as he had thought he was. He forced himself to move faster to the third and the last point. In doing so, he exhausted himself. By the time he got there, he had no breath left. He was washed ashore dead by a big wave.

The Helmet, who was standing by,

found his dead body. He called the other Helmets to eat their friend’s enemy’s eyes as revenge on him.

This is why the Helmet Crabs go for the eyes of a dead fish that is left lying on the beach.