The Fish That Talked

Usborne First Reading Level 3

by Rosie Dickins (Retold by), Graham Philpot (Illustrator)

Based on a traditional Indian tale, this story follows Manu, who one day rescues a tiny talking fish from a stream and gets far more than he bargained for.

48 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Prabhat sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fish that Talked Retelling by Rosie Dickens, Illustrator Grahm Philpot- Children’s Illustrated Colour Picture Book- Indian Mythology- The book re-tells the story of a talking fish narrated in the Great Indian Epic Mahabharata. Manu, a young boy was bathing in a river. He found a shining fish come near him. Manu picked her in his hands. Fish spoke to Manu, “Please help me. The big fish want to devour me.” Manu carried the shining fish in his cupped palms, came to his house and placed the fish in an earthenware jar. The fish soon grows and requests Manu to shift her to a larger location. Manu first shifts her to a well, then to a pond, later in a river and at last in the sea. The fish called Manu and told him that after some time, clouds will burst, rains will flood and all land will drown. You must collect all type of plants, animals, seeds for future generations. Manu followed her advice. He collected men, women, animals, plants, seeds, scrubs in his large boat. When the storm arrived, the boat was afloat. Soon the large shinning fish arrived and asked Manu to throw a rope. She tied herself with the rope and swam through the flooding water to an area where the sea was calm. They landed near a mountain. Then, all of a sudden, the fish changed in to God Brahma. Brahma is the creator of the universe. Brahma said to Manu, “I have saved you so that you can recreate & live in new world with wisdom.” The message from the story for all is that if you do good for others, you get in return much more than you had bargained for.