This is a classic in Persian child literature. On the one hand the story is a beautiful tale where the reality is mixed with fiction. It tells an enlightening legend about a Little Black Fish who encounters the strange, narrow-minded world of grown-ups, most of which signify some futile aspect of adult existence. A dogmatic way of life filled with ignorance and the fear of the unknown, remained unchanged throughout generations, is the reason behind our hero’s wish to travel to the sea and find out about life in other parts of the world.

After long discussions with the community members who try to convince him to succumb to their static lifestyle and are willing to destroy him when they see their way of life under attack, he finally leaves in search of a better life. Along the way The Little Black Fish interacts with frogs, small fish and the moon. He also has brave encounters with a crab, a pelican and a swordfish. A wise lizard becomes his mentor, gives him lots of advice, encourages him to follow his quest, make connections and look for the team of fishes that have come together and formed a strong alliance to defend themselves when in danger.

For children: beautiful, interesting and lovely tale about a little black fish who wants to learn about life and look for answers. For adults: short, well-written and edifying story about themselves and a path they can follow to achieve the goals of freedom and justice.

Seldom do we find in literature a work with so many well-elaborated facets. A novel which is also richly adorned with history, politics, character studies while addressing deep philosophical, political and social issues.

Although ostensibly a children’s book, The Little Black Fish makes countless profound and realistic points about life and human nature. In this story we can see the painful truth about ourselves. The plot is not complicated because the most important message there is the question "what is the real essence of our life?”.

The essence of the book is contained in the great and famous lines uttered by the Little Black Fish when thinking about his accomplishments: “I might face death any minute now, but I should not put myself in harms’ way as long as I can live. Of course, it is not important if I die, because this is going to happen anyway. I know my purpose: How will my life or death impact the lives of others?”.

There are enough clues in this story to suggest that the hero might be Che Guevara.

The Little Black Fish

By Samad Beh-Rang

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2008 Samad Beh-Rang
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4389-1399-5

Chapter One

It was one of those long and chilly winter nights and at the bottom of a brook a very old fish had gathered all of her 12,000 children and grandchildren around her and was telling them this story.

Once upon a time there was a little black fish who lived in a brook just like this one, with his mother. The water that filled the brook came from many small cracks and holes in the rocky mountains high above, and continued its passage to the bottom of the valley.

Behind a black rock there was a niche that looked as a safe shelter, it was covered with lots of algae at the top which could serve as a roof. The Little Black Fish and his mother lived in this niche and slept there when the night came. The Little Black Fish had a very secret wish; he wished to see the moonlight if only for once, in the middle of the night and inside their home.

Every day from dawn to dusk the two fish moved back and forth in this brook following each other. Sometimes other fishes joined them, and they all swung together at a fast pace in that small space, going back and forth as if they were in a great hurry and they all continued this comings and goings until the day was over. The Little Black Fish was his mother's only child. She had deposited about 10,000 eggs but The Little Black Fish was the only one among them who had been strong and healthy enough to survive.

Lately, for the past few days, The Little Black Fish had been deeply absorbed in his thoughts. He spoke very little, moved inside the water without any aspiration and in a careless manner from one place to another, showing no interest in anything that was happening around him; and most of the time he was just lagging behind his mother. The mother thought maybe her child was sick and she hoped that he would soon feel better. But to tell you the truth, The Little Black Fish's mind was occupied by a very wonderful and exciting plan.

One early morning before sunrise The Little Black Fish woke his mother up and told her: "Mom! I would like to talk to you."

"Come on child," said the mother still sleepy: "this is not a good time to talk! You can talk to me later in the day, right now it would be better for us to go out and have a nice and refreshing swim in the water."

"No mother," answered The Little Black Fish: "I cannot continue these daily swims any longer. I have made a decision and now I am determined to leave this place."

"Why would you want to leave this place?" Asked the mother very surprised.

"Well mother," answered The Little Black Fish: "I have made up my mind and am determined to leave."

"All right," said the mother: "but where do you want to go so early in the morning?"

"I want to make an effort," answered The Little Black Fish: "to venture out and try to find the end of this brook. You know mother, for several months now I have been thinking a great deal about this question and after all the thoughts and speculations, I still have not found any answers. Last night I could not close my eyes even for one second. I have been thinking it over and over again, and finally I have decided to leave this place with the goal of trying to find out for myself where this brook ends. My desire is to learn about what is happening in other places in the world and how life could be elsewhere."

"I always had similar thoughts when I was a child." Said the mother laughing: "My dear boy, there is no beginning or ending to a brook. This is the reality and everything that we need to know. The water always flows, and it never reaches anywhere."

"But dear mother," said The Little Black Fish: "is it not true that everything comes to an end? The night ends, the day ends, so do the weeks, months and years ..."

"I want you to stop babbling big words," interrupted the mother: "get up and we shall go for a swim. Right now it is time for us to go on with our usual and daily routine, instead of those silly talks that make no sense!"

"No mother," said The Little Black Fish: "I am tired of these aimless comings and goings. I want to move on, leave this brook and find out what is happening in other places. You may think someone has been putting these ideas into my head; but I want to make it clear that I have been thinking about this quest for a very long time. Of course I must admit that I have also learned a few things from others. For example, I know for sure that some fishes, when they get old, grumble and complain that they have wasted their lives in vain. They always whine, curse and blame everything and everyone around them for having lived unsuccessfully and to no purpose. I want to be absolutely sure whether the real meaning of life is just going back and forth in a small brook until you get old or, is there something more? Is there a different way one can live in this big world?"

"My child," said the mother, after The Little Black Fish had finished his speech: "are you out of your mind? World! World! What is this idea about the world? The world is right here where we are, and life everywhere else is exactly the same as we live here."

At this moment a larger fish approached their home and asked: "Neighbor, what are you arguing about with your child? It seems like you two have no intention of going out for a dip today."

"What a horrific time we are living in!" Said The Little Black Fish's mother, coming out of their home, as soon as she heard the neighbor's voice: "Now the children want to teach lessons to their mothers!"

"What do you mean?" Asked the neighbor.

"Guess where this itsy bitsy brat wants to go!" Answered the mother: "He keeps saying that he wants to go and see what is happening in other parts of the world! Some big ideas he has in his head, strange thoughts so unsuitable for his young age."

"Look at me kid," said the neighbor: "since when you have become a scientist and a philosopher, and how come you did not let us know about it?"

"Madame!" Answered The Little Black Fish: "I do not know what you mean by my having become a scientist and a philosopher. I am simply tired of these continuous and aimless swims. I do not want to go on living like this, pretending to be happy for very little trivial and unimportant things; and then suddenly opening my eyes to realize that I have become an old fish just like most of you, still the same as I have always been with barely any life experience, wisdom and awareness."

"My goodness," cried the neighbor: "what a shocking thing to say!"

"I never imagined," complained the mother: "that my only child would turn out to be like this. I do not know what wicked creature has been putting such dreadful ideas into his head and corrupting him!"

"Nobody has been corrupting me," answered The Little Black Fish: "I have enough wisdom to understand many things, and eyes to see for myself."

"Dear sister," said the neighbor turning to the mother: "do you remember that snail with a spiral shell?"

"You are right," agreed the mother: "the snail was always around my child, may God punish him!"

"Enough mother!" said The Little Black Fish: "He was my friend."

"Friendship between a fish and a snail," answered the mother: "whoever has heard such a thing!"

"I have never heard of any hatred and animosity between a fish and a snail either," answered The Little Black Fish: "but you all joined together, teamed up and got rid of that poor creature."

"These are all tales of the past." Said the neighbor.

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