When fights were breaking out between the fish, I was always there to interfere and to protect the weaker, chasing the big fish or keeping it in a separate tank. And sometimes, I was enlarging the normal planting space in the tank in order to let the small fish hide behind it.

   The hobby took me a lot of time, especially that fish require a great care, because they have the ability of self-destruction of their world; big fish can eat little ones, they are mostly not interested in preserving their offspring, using their immediate instinct. In addition, a big fish can hit its head against the air pump to cut the air off its planet, or devour the plants that generate oxygen, or bites the other fish tail. The fish were depending on my mercy and my ability, and I definitely would not let their world fall apart, how can I do that while I built their planet piece by piece?

    This confidence in my presence as an intervenor in the events created a fertile environment for degradation from the aggressive fish and a great dependency among the weak fish; I would certainly save them from the big fish anger, which thereby made them over long periods incapable to develop in their brain or in their capacities, their brain was not seeking for a trick because I was the trick! They did not need to develop any abilities, what difference did that development make if they had a super power that was supporting them?

    I got confused, should I stop supporting the fish planet? Should I let the powerful exterminate the weak or the crazy spoil the water by his stupidity? But what is the solution? How do the fish get out from this tunnel? At what cost? The fish certainty in my presence as a participant in the conflicts strengthened their vulnerability. It would be enough to believe in my existence as a life maker. As for my interference, let it be calculated; I would restrain my anger, I would give little support that ensured the continuity of the story. I would let them go through their experience; I would trust them, showing them that they had the ability to develop.

    The fish blew in my face when I informed them about the decision and hit the water with their tails in protest, accusing me of neglect and that it was my duty to take care of them and help them since I brought them to this planet.

    I tried to explain in a way to blame them and tell them that I was of great help to them! “I put other fish with you to remind you always of the need for the call for reason and not relying just on your abilities. So, what was your position towards them? They got only treason and cynicism, as I found some of them dead after you had hit them against the oyster caves. What were you waiting for? To jump myself in your tank? Even that, I have done it repeatedly when I have been interfering in every problem, but this fact only increased your going astray. I have been the veil between you and your brains. The more I have interfered to make your world better, the more your reliance on me has become stronger; as if I were feeding your tendency to destroy yourselves. I will end this historical era when I was protecting the weak and restraining the powerful; from now on you will manage your affairs and bear the consequences of your actions. I will give you only a little food and pump air in the water. However, I will not protect what I am giving you; you can destroy it or take advantage of it.

    The fish got in real trouble. In my absence, they were in a slow track to death. I did not care! Nevertheless, it would be painful to me to see them die…years went by.

    Hair turned white and the inhabitants of the fish planet were no longer the same inhabitants I had been caring for since years; generations came and went. However, when my friend was watching the aquarium, a big fish sticking its mouth to the glass attracted his attention, as if it were a suction tool. He asked me about it, I told him it was a long-lived fish that witnessed every significant event. It was an ordinary fish, but by the time it evolved and its mouth got the ability to stick to the glass. It has the role of cleaning up the glass and eating the algae that is stuck to it. Its name is Plecostomus.

    My friend was astonished… he then looked at the planet floor and asked me about that fish with moustache, which was moving actively at the bottom and rarely went up. “This is a Cat Fish,” I said, “so peaceful, the biggest fish used to attack it, but now, everyone has every respect to it; she is responsible for the cleanliness of, the plants, and the caves. Moreover, she eats food waste and the fish droppings as well. In short, she is responsible for ensuring the prevention of water from rottenness. She just saved me a great effort!”

   He warned me that the fish was devouring her young. “This is a cichlid fish,” I replied. “She incubates her eggs in her mouth until they hatch into fry and get out of it. She tries to prove that eating little fish by the big ones is not a rule or an inevitable destiny, even though she still has a long way to go until she convinces the other species.”  

   My friend was highly impressed with these developments, he was proud of me and of the fish planet. I explained to him how difficult this development went; the fish showed an obstinate rebellion, fought against themselves and resisted the voices of evolution inside them. What was funny is that it all was happening in my name, wasn't I who looked after them? They have forgotten that I told them recently that they are alike for me; whoever evolves will progress, whether it is a predatory or a peaceful fish.

   My friend felt a hint of pain in my voice, and he was right. The new generation of fish feels that it is in no need of me; they do not know anything about the historical deal held with their ancestors and which was entitled "limited intervention versus evolution". They do not know that it is I who pumps air in the water, it is I who implants some plants that grow and branch out. They also do not know that I am preventing them from many risks; they do not know anything about them, neither them nor their ancestors, because these risks are much bigger than their planet and they are incapable to face them. It is I who prevents meddlesome kids from assaulting their planet and throwing sweets into the water.

   I trusted them for the sake of gaining self-confidence and developing their abilities, so that a world of backwardness would not be established under my name. But the result is as you can see; unfortunately, they no longer feel my role and are never convinced of my existence as well. I am in their point of view a historical myth.

Written By: Wael Adel

Translated By: Zoulikha K