It was a dark and stormy night when the abalone hunters set out from the shore. They had heard tales of an ancient giant abalone lurking somewhere deep in the vast ocean, and they were determined to find it.
The waves crashed against their small fishing boat as they ventured further into uncharted depths. A chill ran through them all as a strange fog descended upon their vessel, blocking out all light from above. Suddenly, one of them shouted “Look! There’s something over there!”
They stared ahead into the darkness and saw a faint glimmer coming from beneath the surface of the water – it was definitely not fish or seaweed!
As they cautiously approached closer, they realized that it was an enormous abalone shell with its occupant still inside!
The men cowered and exchanged glances.
“Could it be?” One fisherman asked.
“What’s that?” the other responded.
“The legend of Abalonia!” one fisherman exclaimed.
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Abalone-eaus was a fisherman who had sought to be the greatest fisher on earth. He wanted to go down as the fisherman with the most and best catches anyone had ever known.
Unable to rest or relax, Abalone-eaus devoted his life to one thing: competition. He was born to the best, and abalone fishing was what he set his sights on. Deceiving, stealing, and sometimes even befriending other fisherman simply to see where he could gain advantages over them, Abalone-eaus was the kind of man who would urinate on someone else’s bait when no one was looking. He was the kind of man who would be perfect when he was seen and go out of his way to hide his true nature at every turn. Until, one day, a fisherman caught a mysterious abalone.
Infuriated by the lack of attention and his internal lack of power, authority and victory, instead of discarding himself from the planet for the sake of all other humans, Abalone-eaus did what Abalone-eaus did best. He lied and pretended. There was nothing else in his soul after all. He was a hollow bag of empty goals and pursuits who only sought trophies, recognition, titles and money. He was deviod of all desire for internal growth and self-mastery. He existed solely for victory, as a wild animal exists for its next meal because it is incapable of much else.
Abalone-eaus stole the fisherman’s abalone and claimed as his own. Unaware that the mysterious Abalone could grant the wishes in men’s hearts, Abalone-eaus had wished he went down in history as the world’s greatest abalone fisherman.
As fisherman chased and sought Abalone-eaus, he heard them yelling in the distance, but the world turned black.
He opened his eyes and he was a giant abalone in the hands of a large, clean-looking fisherman who appeared to be the epitome of professional fishing. Abalone-eaus looked up at the fisherman’s face and saw himself.
Crowds cheered and chanted for Abalone-eaus as he glanced at his catch.
“To show how great I am,” the doppleganger rejoiced, “I will release this giant abalone into the sea. From hence forth, it shall be known that Abalone-eaus caught the legendary Abalone: Abalonia.
——————-
Reflecting on the story Abalone-eaus, one fisherman stood amazed by what lay before them: It was a gigantic abalone with one huge eye that seemed to be looking right at them!
Its shell gleamed in iridescent hues and sparkled like stars on a clear night sky. But even more amazing than its size was its age!
Judging by the marks on its body in addition to its size, this creature must have been alive for centuries!
“Abalonia,” One fisherman muttered. “I wouldn’t touch it, if I were you.”
“I am the best abalone fisherman!” the other fisherman shouted. “I am not concerned with what you will or will not do!”
As if sensing his freedom, Abalonia flopped to the surface; ready to leave behind memories of its mysterious existence.
Learning nothing, the fisherman ignored his peer and yanked Abalonia from the seaweed. Both the fisherman and Abalonia vanished instantly. In their place was a book titled:
“The story of the Greatest Abalone Fisherman and Abalonia the perfect Abalone.”
The remaining fisherman stared at the hardcover book and cringed. He looked at his peers’ fishing gear and kicked it into the ocean.
He never spoke about what happened that day but each time someone mentions ‘abalone’, his eyes widen slightly with fear at what other legends await freedom through greed…
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