FEROZE was a hardworking family man. He worked as a fisherman to provide for his wife and six children. Some trips were very lucrative, others were total failures. He loved the sea, so he persisted in this industry. Somehow they were able to survive on his inconsistent income; but barely.He wished and hoped for large catches so that his trade would become consistently profitable.

Three weeks before a particularly bleak looking Christmas, he and his crew of five put out to sea. Three days after, and they had caught little or nothing. He was very frustrated, and in that state of mind began to consider giving up fishing.

That night he sat on deck watching the stars twinkle their merit at his plight. The gently rocking waves soon lulled him to sleep, and he dreamt that he was sitting on the sea walls one evening when suddenly a woman materialised at his side. It was so sudden that he jumped in surprise and fear. When he looked at her, all his anxiety faded. She was the most gorgeous creature he had ever laid eyes on. How he wished he had met her before marrying Aliya. She smiled at him and his entire will seemed to melt.
“You look worried?” she enquired.
“Just wishing for better times,” he smiled nervously.
“Why so?”
“Not catching any fish of late,” he explained.
“Maybe you are not looking in the right place”, she ventured
“What do you know about the ways of the sea?” he gently criticised.
“Let’s make a bargain: If I tell you where to make a good catch, then you must visit my home. Agreed?”
This took him unaware, and her searching eyes seemed to compel him to agree.
“OK, deal,” he agreed.
She gave him detailed directions to his next fishing ground, and was gone just like that.

He woke up and went into action immediately. His small trawler was soon speeding to the new location. This time, the catch was the best he had ever had. He was elated with this, and completely forgot about his dream.

For the next three trips his catch was bountiful, and he decided to take some leave to enjoy his new found prosperity.
About a week into his vacation, he was inspecting his craft when he became aware of a woman suddenly standing beside him. He knew instantly that it was the same woman. She had a strange, sharp odour that he seemed familiar with.

“Let’s go for a walk, Feroze.”
She took his hand, and her eyes again compelled him to obey. They walked slowly along Water Street. He seemed to be in some kind of trance. He felt excited, like a teenager getting his first kiss. She pointed to the river.
“I used to live and play along the river banks here,” she disclosed.
He was puzzled by her remark, but kept his doubts to himself.

She led him back to the wharf where his boat was moored. When they got there, she led him away from the trawler towards the end of the wharf. She stepped into a small boat and beckoned him to follow.
“Give me your hand,” she smiled sweetly at him.
He got into the rocking craft and she calmly jumped into the water.
Totally appalled, he seemed to suddenly come awake. In a jiffy he hopped back onto the wharf.

Bam!
The small boat smashed into the side of the wharf and capsized.
Her sparkling head popped up above the surface. She again beckoned for him to jump in. He retreated.

“Splash!”

He was hit by a strong jet of water and landed awkwardly on his back. Fumbling around, he scrambled to his feet soaked and shaken.
“You broke your promise. I’ll get you for that!” she said as she slipped below the musky surface and vanished.

That was the last day Feroze ventured out to sea. He managed his boat from the safety of the wharf, never daring to enter the water. But slowly, he lost the fear of revenge the strange creature had promised.

Three months later, Feroze and his family inherited a house through his mother-in-law, who passed away. They moved into their new home, thus avoiding the high cost of rent. The house was situated on the West Bank of the Demerara River. There was no water supplied to the village by the utility responsible for that, so all of the villagers used the river as their bathroom.

Feroze began to spend more time at home. He often helped with the children, giving them baths and taking them to their new school.

About a week after moving to the new location, he was working on his boat when he received a message. “Come home urgently!”

He hastened to his home and walked into a horrible scenario. His wife was devastated and hysterical. Their two daughters were missing. Nazima and Nafiza were taking a bath with their elder brother. Both were only about chin high in the water so there was no risk of drowning. Their fifteen-year-old brother turned to wave to a friend passing by, and when he looked around, they had both disappeared. There was a clear view for hundreds of yards in each direction, so he knew they had not gone home. He searched for them, then sought help. Many friends and neighbours joined in the search, but it was in vain. The mother was informed, and she took it badly.

Feroze knew right away who was to be blamed. It was all his fault. He had ensured that he was safe but never considered the possibility that his family would be in danger. How wrong he was. He cried in anguish for his daughters and his own stupidity.

That night he had a dream, something that had not occurred in weeks. The same enchanted creature was confronting him as he worked on the deck of his trawler. This time it was obvious that she had changed. Her eyes were piercing and flashing in hostility, her face was contorted into an ugly snarl, and her hair blew wildly in the strong sea breeze.

“Keep your promise and I’ll return the girls,” she told him.
Terror and desperation seized him.

“You got them? Where dey dea?”
She looked over the side and he did likewise. Two pairs of familiar eyes were looking up at him. Then they were gone.
“Naz! Naeza!” he screamed, tears pouring down his face.

Filled with rage, he whirled on his tormentor. She was no longer there. From the water below her voice rang out.
“Keep your promise or this is the last time you’ll see your daughters.”

He looked on helplessly as the creature hugged both girls. Then with a flip of her large emerald tail she dived below.

Feroze returned home in a confused daze. What should he do? He had never told any of this to his wife. She wouldn’t believe him anyway. He struggled with this decision for a few days, then made up his mind on his best course of action.

The next morning he kissed his wife and each of his children before leaving home. They were puzzled but pleased. He readied the trawler and headed out to sea. He never returned. The crew searched the boat but could not find him. They returned to port Georgetown a sad and disappointed crew. Thus, even though they had made a gigantic catch, his wife had to be informed.

When the crew got to the house, pandemonium ensued. They interrupted euphoric celebration on the return of the missing girls minus any memory of the entire incident. What a scene took place when the crew gave the wife the tragic news.

After this incident, the trawler’s catch was always successful. Soon the wife bought another craft and the business boomed. Soon they were exporting fish. The other boats could not understand how these two fishing boats were doing so well. They also plied the same waters but without so much success. The sailors attributed this success to dreams.

“Dream de boss last night; he tell me whey fo fish today,” they would say.