Mysterious Fisherman (A Tale of Mystery and Myth)

The story goes

I was newly married, and a year had passed since my wedding. As per our traditions, my wife moved to her parents’ house shortly before her due date to receive care and assistance during her pregnancy.

Our village was surrounded by sprawling farmlands, and my wife, like me, was no stranger to this environment. Her parents’ house was nestled among their fields, about three kilometers from my own home.

One day, I decided to visit her to check on her and offer my help if needed. I dressed in my best clothes, wore polished shoes, and applied my finest cologne before setting off. The path to her parents’ house cut through fields and alongside irrigation canals. It was the season of the “winter dam,” when the water levels drop, making it easier to catch fish.

Along the way, I passed a large ancient stone etched with strange inscriptions. The stone, as I’d heard from elders, was a remnant of a long-gone pharaonic temple. Stories circulated about a spirit said to inhabit the stone—a spirit that appeared and vanished without causing harm.

As I continued walking, I reached a canal and spotted a man fishing. His face was turned downward toward the water, and I couldn’t make out his features. I didn’t think much of it and went on my way to my in-laws’ house.

After spending some time with my wife and her family, I started my journey back home, retracing the same path.

When I reached the same canal, I was surprised to see the same man still fishing in the exact spot. This time, he called out to me, saying:

“These fish are like spirits! I can’t catch them alone. Would you help me?”

I replied, baffled:

“Are you out of your mind? Do you expect me, dressed as I am, to jump into the canal and fish with you?”

I left him and continued walking toward the ancient stone.

As I approached the stone, the very same man appeared beside it. He looked at me and called me by name. Then he said:

“Look over there!”

I turned my gaze, and to my shock, I saw the fisherman I had left at the canal. He was stretching taller and taller until his height surpassed the palm trees, pointing at me with an outstretched hand.

Frozen in fear, I turned back to the man by the stone, only to find he had vanished. All that remained was a piece of cloth from his clothing lying on the stone.

Terrified, I ran home and recounted what had happened to my family. My father, familiar with the tales of the stone, warned me:

“If you had joined him in fishing, he would have stripped you of your clothes and disappeared. Spirits often take such forms to trick the unwary.”

Some time later, I returned to the spot to look for the stone, but it was gone. I was told that during my absence, a stranger had appeared at the site. He stood by the stone, muttering incomprehensible chants. Witnesses thought he was uncovering a treasure. Instead, he mounted the stone as if it were a horse and soared into the sky.

To this day, people still talk about the ancient stone, but its mystery remains unsolved.