The Little Black Fish, Bilingual Edition

DESCRIPTION

Little Black Fish (Mahi-ye Siah-e Kuchulu) by Samad Behrangi is a beloved Iranian children's fable though its layers of meaning resonate far beyond childhood.

In a cold mountain stream, surrounded by thousands of fish who swim in endless, comfortable circles, one tiny black fish dares to ask a dangerous question: Where does this water come from? And where does it go?
The elders scoff. The other fish warn him to be quiet, to stay safe, to accept the world as it is. But the little black fish is restless burning with curiosity and a hunger for something more than the shallow pool he was born into. So he does the unthinkable: he leaves.
What follows is an extraordinary odyssey downstream through raging rapids, treacherous waterfalls, and unknown territories. Along the way, he encounters a cast of unforgettable characters.

Some creatures try to stop him. Some try to eat him. But others share his longing. Especially a band of small fish trapped in a heron's pouch, awaiting their doom. In one breathtaking act of bravery, the little black fish slashes the heron's pouch with a dagger and frees them all, sacrificing his own safety for strangers. He presses on, driven by an unshakeable conviction: better to live one meaningful day as a free fish than a hundred years going in circles. At last, he reaches the open sea — vast, boundless, and blazing with light.

He vanishes into the great waters. But his crimson blood (the color of courage) is seen spreading through the sea. The little black fish doesn't just swim to the ocean. He becomes a symbol of rebellion against stagnation, of sacrifice for freedom, of the individual who lights the way for others even at personal cost. Written in 1968 under the shadow of the Shah's Iran, Behrangi's fable crackles with political fire wrapped in the gentlest of fairy-tale language. It remains one of the most powerful children's books ever written and one of the most quietly revolutionary.

Very well known Persian children's story by Samad Behrangi. Includes English translation and Illustrations. The story won prizes at the Bologna and Bratislava children's books fairs. Also suitable for adults practicing their Persian.

AUTHOR

SAMAD BEHRANGI was born in Tabriz in 1939. He received his early education in Tabriz and graduated from high school in 1957. He taught in the rural districts of Azerbaijan for eleven years, familiarizing villagers, especially children and youth, to books and libraries.

The Little Black Fish (1968) is his most well-known work. Two of his other works were published in 1969. They are "One Peach, A Thousand Peaches" and "24 Restless Hours." Some of his concerns regarding the Iranian system of education are outlined in an essay entitled, "Investigations into the Educational Problems of Iran." He also published "Tales of Azerbaijan," in two volumes. The "Tales" were translated from Azeri Turkish into Farsi. Behrangi died in a swimming accident in a river in Azerbaijan in 1968.