The frog-fishing squad

Wang Yan had enjoyed his soundest sleep since transmigrating, with food in his stomach and reassurance in his heart.

At first light the next day, he went to find his father, Jianshi, and his mother, Qingye, again. Outside their lean-to, they were counting the tools the hunting and gathering teams would take out that day by the morning light.

"Father, Mother," Wang Yan called respectfully.

Jianshi looked up. His gaze no longer held its earlier scrutiny, but curiosity instead. "Yan, what brings you here so early?" Qingye also stopped what she was doing.

"I thought about it yesterday." Wang Yan organized his words, trying to make himself seem mature and dependable. "One person can fish for hopping beasts, but it's too slow. If more people work together, we can bring back much more. I'd like... three more people to try it with me."

Jianshi and Qingye exchanged a glance. Qingye spoke first. "Yan, are you sure other people can learn this method too? Are there... really that many hopping beasts?" The dozen or so jin of meat yesterday had been a delightful surprise, but it was still far too little for the needs of the entire tribe.

"Yes, Mother." Wang Yan nodded firmly, pointing toward the pools nearby. "There are lots of hopping beasts over there. I can't keep up on my own. Once we learn the method, several of us working together can definitely multiply the catch several times over. At least... we can get some food into more children like Shouchai, and the tribe's elders."

His last words moved Jianshi. As chief, he had to consider not only the warriors of the hunting team, but also the tribe's future (the children) and its past (the elders). After a moment's deliberation, he made his decision. "All right. I'll give you three people. Go collect the fat, rope, and hide bags. Find the people yourself and see who's willing to go with you."

"Thank you, Father! Thank you, Mother!" Wang Yan was overjoyed. The first step of his plan had gone smoothly.

He immediately got moving. He already had candidates in mind. First were Uncle Dabang's two sons-Shibang and Gubang. Shibang was twelve, and Gubang was ten. Both were growing boys brimming with energy and eager to hunt, and they were his closest friends. When they had eaten roast frog yesterday, those two had eaten with the greatest relish and had the most eager eyes.

When he found them, the brothers were practicing hunting movements with wooden sticks, clearly still savoring the memory of yesterday's meat.

"Shibang! Gubang!"

"Yan!" The brothers immediately crowded around him when they saw him. Impatient by nature, Shibang asked straight away, "Yan, are we ready to set off?" He rubbed his hands, looking as though he could hardly wait.

Wang Yan smiled. "Don't rush. Hear me out first. My father agreed to let us bring a few more people along to fish for hopping beasts. Are you two coming?"

"Yes! Of course!" Gubang shouted, hopping up and down, his little face flushed with excitement. Shibang nodded vigorously too, his eyes shining. Yesterday's meal of meat had completely convinced them of Wang Yan's ability.

"Good, you two are in. Go get Daya and my little brother Shouchai too."

Daya was Uncle Jianya's eldest son, eight years old that year and two years younger than Wang Yan, but one of the quicker-witted children in the group. Wang Yan brought him along.

Soon, five people had gathered in front of Wang Yan's lean-to. Shibang, Gubang, Daya, Shouchai, and Wang Yan himself made exactly five. Every face glowed with excitement and anticipation, especially Shibang's and Gubang's. The memory of grease coating their mouths yesterday had kept them from sleeping soundly all night, and the gluttonous worms in their bellies had long since been stirred awake. In this tribe where hunger was widespread, eating their fill of meat was something they dared not even dream of. Usually, only when the hunting team brought down large prey, such as wild cattle or giant deer, could the warriors who took part briefly enjoy the privilege of "eating all they wanted." Even then, they went hungry one meal and ate their fill the next. Obtaining meat reliably as they had yesterday was simply inconceivable.

"If only we could eat our fill like yesterday every day," Gubang muttered.

Looking at the four before him, Wang Yan felt a surge of responsibility. He cleared his throat, his expression growing serious. "Don't just think about eating. This isn't a game. We're finding food for the tribe. So before we leave, I need to explain the techniques and rules for fishing for hopping beasts. That way, we can catch more and stay safer."

The children immediately fell silent, every gaze fixed on Wang Yan. He began his first "pre-job training" since transmigrating:

"First, locations. We can't fish in just one pond. We'll leave the pond Shouchai and I visited yesterday alone today and let the hopping beasts there rest. Today, we'll split up and go to a few other pools. Shibang and Gubang, you'll go to the big reed-covered pond to the north. Daya and Shouchai, you'll go to the pond with the big rocks to the west. I'll go to the one with the thickest water plants to the east. Splitting up like this gives us more hopping beasts, so we'll catch more too. If we all crowd together, we'll soon fish out all the hopping beasts in one place, and there'll be nothing to eat later. Understand?"

They only half understood, but all nodded vigorously. Though they did not understand the deeper reasoning, they knew they could not go wrong listening to Yan.

"Second, safety!" Wang Yan emphasized the word. "There are snakes by the water. Keep your eyes sharp and beat the grass with a stick first. Also, don't step into muddy marshes carelessly. You'll sink. If you find something you don't recognize, don't touch it, and certainly don't eat it! Follow my instructions in everything. If you run into danger, shout loudly, and anyone nearby must go help immediately!"

At the mention of snakes and marshes, a little fear appeared on the children's faces, but seriousness showed even more strongly.

"Third, how to find hopping beasts. Don't go after every call. Listen: 'Croak-croak-' The ones with deep, loud calls are usually big. A thin call might come from a small one. We'll mainly fish for the loud ones. They have more meat. We don't want the ones that are too small. Let them go and grow bigger, so we'll still have something to eat later."

"Fourth, how to fish." Wang Yan took out the fat and fishing rods he had prepared, explaining as he demonstrated. "Dangle the meat in front of it, but don't get so close that you scare it away. Then gently keep shaking the bamboo rod like this, making the fat look like a flying insect. Hopping beasts have sharp eyes and like moving things. Once one jumps up and bites, you'll feel a weight in your hand. Lift it out immediately. Be quick!"

"Lastly, when the sun is directly overhead," Wang Yan pointed at the sky, "we'll all gather back here and return to the tribe together, no matter how much we've caught. We mustn't worry the adults."

"Understood!" the four children answered in unison, their little faces full of eagerness to try.

Wang Yan collected five precious little pieces of fat, and between them, they managed to round up five hide bags. Carrying five simple fishing rods, they set out again.

Once they reached the pools, they followed Wang Yan's assignments. The brothers Shibang and Gubang rushed excitedly toward the large pond to the north; Daya and Shouchai headed together toward the rocky pond to the west; Wang Yan went alone to the place with the thickest water plants to the east.

At first, Shibang and Gubang were rather clumsy, either flinging the fat into a tree or lifting their rods too slowly and letting the frogs escape. But the brothers reminded each other, recalling the key points Wang Yan had taught them, and soon got the hang of it. Find a target, jiggle the bait, feel the heavy tug through their hands, then lift the rod swiftly.

Over at Daya's spot, his quick mind made him the fastest learner. Wang Yan himself handled it with ease, bringing something up almost every time he lifted his rod. The patch of water plants he had chosen was indeed a frog paradise.

The sunlight gradually grew scorching, and even the frog calls around the ponds seemed to thin out a little. Yet the five children's hide bags swelled at a speed visible to the naked eye.

When the sun rose overhead, the four children converged from different directions, every face bearing sweat, flecks of mud, irrepressible excitement, and exhaustion.

"Yan! Look! We caught loads!" Shibang rushed over first, laboriously carrying his almost-full hide bag.

"So did we!" Gubang and Daya also scrambled to show off their results.

Wang Yan looked at his four companions returning laden with their catches, then at his own equally heavy bag, his heart full of accomplishment. By his rough estimate, the meat in the five bags probably totaled over a hundred jin!

"Let's go! Back to the tribe!"

At noon, beside the bonfire in the center of the tribe. Yesterday's dozen or so jin of meat had already been a delightful surprise, but today's little mountain of frogs weighed a full hundred jin or so! It was almost equivalent to the yield of a medium-sized hunt! And five growing children had brought all this back in just one morning!

The tribespeople gathered around, exclaiming in amazement at the hundred-plus jin of frogs. The children kept swallowing with longing, and even the elders' clouded eyes shone with renewed light. Feeling the surprised, admiring, and even envious gazes of the tribespeople around them, Shibang, Gubang, Daya, and Shouchai all puffed out their chests. Never before had they felt as important or as valuable as they did today. They were no longer burdens who only consumed food, but "heroes" who could contribute to the tribe!