Why was I not born with two good hands?He thought.Perhaps it was my fault in not training that one properly.But God knows he has had enough chances to learn.He did not do so badly in the night,though,and he has only cramped once.If he cramps again let the line cut him off.
On the next circle the fish's back was out but he was a little too far from the boat.On the next circle he was still too far away but he was higher out of water and the old man was sure that by gaining some more line he could have him alongside.
I must hold his pain where it is,he thought.Mine does not matter.I can control mine.But his pain could drive him mad.
He tried it once more and he felt himself going when he turned the fish.The fish righted himself and swam off again slowly with the great tail weaving in the air.
His straw hat was far on the back of his head and he sank down into the bow with the pull of the line as he felt the fish turn.
He woke with the jerk of his right fist coming up against his face and the line burning out through his right hand.He had no feeling of his left hand but he braked all he could with his right and the line rushed out.Finally his left hand found the line and he leaned back against the line and now it burned his back and his left hand,and his left hand was taking all the strain and cutting badly.He looked back at the coils of line and they were feeding smoothly.Just then the fish jumped making a great bursting of the ocean and then a heavy fall.Then he jumped again and again and the boat was going fast although line was still racing out and the old man was raising the strain to breaking point and raising it to breaking point again and again.He had been pulled down tight onto the bow and his face was in the cut slice of dolphin and he could not move.