By Neil Primus

ANDREW was 23 and worked in the Gold Bush. He decided to work independently as a Porknocker. He learned his new trade quickly. His love for the interior was genuine. He became expert at locating gold. He also became an excellent hunter and tracker. Whenever his camp was low on meat he went hunting. He always returned with game.
One afternoon he decided to go hunting. There was urgent need to replenish stocks. He headed into the thick bushes. As he moved he stopped regularly to listen. Scanning the forest floor he looked for familiar tracks then he saw one. A deer was close by. He became quietly excited. He would be eating venison very soon.
Somewhere up ahead something moved. He took aim and squeezed off a shot. The sound of the shot reverberated through the forest. When he got to the spot he found tracks going off in one direction. He followed looking for traces of blood. He found none. The tracks led him deeper into the forest and far away from his camp.
Suddenly new tracks appeared. They had replaced those of the deer. The deer tracks had simply vanished. He was totally confused. He had never encountered anything of the sort. But that was the least of his worries. The strange tracks had a shocking feature. The feet were pointing in opposite directions. He didn’t know what kind of animal this was and where it was headed.
Excited and slightly apprehensive he followed continuously. The tracks led deeper into the jungle. Suddenly he emerged onto a magnificent savannah. He could see clearly for miles around. He kept following the tracks when reason defied him once again. The tracks suddenly stopped. Worse than that, it disappeared altogether. There was no way he could do any backtracking. He was well and truly lost.
That night he slept a restless sleep. The next morning he scouted around trying to pick up the tracks once again. There was nothing to follow. How would he make it back to his camp, he wondered?
Fruits and a salepenter (large lizard) were what he used to help with his hunger. He used the leaves of certain trees that stored water to quench his thirst. He decided to walk towards the sun and hope to run into someone. He did.
Suddenly, up ahead something moved. He unslung his gun and took aim then he thought better of it and did not shoot. Slinging his rifle on his shoulder he headed for the spot where he had noticed the movement. The bush was getting thicker but he managed to reach the area.
Looking around he saw a deer. It stood looking directly at him with gentle pleading eyes. Something melted within him and at that moment he vowed to himself never to hunt in the jungle again.
The deer turned and melted into the bushes. He went after it and saw clear tracks leading away. He followed willingly. In a few hours he was back in familiar surroundings. The strange animal had led him back to his camp. Elated he ran into his shelter and began eating like crazy.
A few days later he was chatting with a native man. He told him his strange story and the man nodded in complete belief and understanding.
“You met the protector of the forest. You’re lucky you didn’t hit the deer or you wouldn’t be here now.”
Andrew trembled at the thought. He would keep his promise. He would not hunt in the jungle. But he had an ace up his sleeve. Instead of hunting he would begin to fish. Now he would go out at night to catch fish. Technically he was not breaking his vow. Fish it would be.
His Amerindian friends told him he would catch the best fish late at night, especially moonlight nights.
The next full moon night he was ready. He borrowed a canoe, prepared his lines, hooks and bait. He was ready for his first catch. Rowing to the middle of the river he tossed out his lines and sat patiently waiting on a bite.
Splash!
Something big was out there. He smiled with excitement. There was another movement and a flash of silver.
Splash!
A tail became visible for a split second then vanished below the water’s surface. Something took hold of one of his lines. It was strong but did not put up too much of a fight. He began to haul in the line.
Splash!
This time he saw the tail and a bit of the lower body, it was humongous. What a catch! He stood up in the rocking canoe and pulled with all his might. As the fish came closer he began to see it better. It was only when it reached the side of the boat that he knew he was in trouble. He found himself looking down into a pair off flashing gold eyes. The face was beautiful and the hair a shimmering mass spread out on the surface of the water. The magnificent creature smiled at the petrified youth then it grabbed the side of the canoe and pulled hard.