The Day the Painted Fish Came to Life

It's a 43c day here in Rochester and we're talking about our favourite places.

• James - fish and chip shop
• Helen - the library
• Naomi - her friend's place where they play on the computer
• William - the pool
• Samuel - his backyard where he plays footy
• Aiden - the skatepark

After a bit more discussion I told everyone the story we had created five years ago with the Rochy Readers who were in the library that school holidays. It was called, 'Aidan and the Murray Cod' and, guess what, Aiden was back. Well somehow the new story we created this time had fish in it as well. Here it is.


'The Day the Painted Fish Came Alive'
One morning the Rochy Readers had gathered for a meeting at the Rochester Library in Mackay Street. They walked in the front door past Genevieve and said 'Hi.' The Librarian said: "Paul is waiting for you outside."

They were all glad to see Paul because they knew he would help with the little bird they had with them. It was such a hot day that the bird had fainted in the heat. Paul said: "Gently pour your water bottle over it and let it rest on my palette there in the shade."

Picture by Naomi

Then Paul set to work on the painting: it was one of the paintings going to Japan. Aiden said: "Is this painting really going to Japan?" Paul said: "Yes, they're going over to Japan, to our sister city."

Aiden said: "Oh, cool!" And as they sat down they heard the cicadas buzzing and buzzing and then over the top of them came the sound of the fire brigade siren and William said: "They normally practise on a Sunday. Samuel said: "It can't be a practice - it's the real thing!"

Naomi said: "I wonder where it's happening?"

James said: "Something smells like burnt chips!"

Picture by James

They ran down Mackay Street and there was the fire brigade. Just then a ute pulled up and the driver said: "Want a lift?" They all jumped on and arrived just in time to see the firemen blasting a great jet of water through the window of the fish and chip shop.

One of the fire officers said: "Can you help save the pictures?" The heat seemed to bring the window of the shop alive. It was melting and moving and it was just like the fish were swimming along the glass.

Naomi jumped up and said: "Let's run back and get some of Paul's canvases!"

Paul picked up an armful and gave them to them and they ran back to the fish and chip shop. It was really funny, the painted fish almost seemed to know. Through the heat and smoke they seemed to wriggle across the glass towards the canvasses. Then, one by one, they jumped off the window and onto the canvasses.

"Yes! Let's take them down to the Campaspe!"

The Rochy Readers walked back past the skate park near the river each carrying a canvas.

When they reached the river they held the canvases in the water and the fish drifted off and then, with a little flip or two, they swam off.

Naomi said: "Good luck fish! Oh well, we'd better take the canvasses back to Paul."

But you'd never guess what - the outlines of the fish, their tails, their fins, their scales and their lips were still on those canvasses. When Paul saw them he said: "Wow, that's wonderful, we'll send those off to Japan for sure!"

Three months after they sent the canvasses an envelope arrived at the Library. It had lots of Japanese stamps on it. The Librarian and the Rochy Readers opened the envelope and inside was a cheque for 30,000 yen, enough to buy a whole new collection of books for the Library and a good feed of fish and chips!

(© This story was created by Daryll Bellingham with assistance from the Rochy Readers
as part of the Campaspie Regional Library Service Rochester Branch vacation program on 14th January, 2009.)