"I am Ti-Koyo, the one with the shark." "That's how they call me on our islands, the Tuamotu in the Pacific Ocean." "In the days of fishing, seeing a shark is a fear that every man knows." "It is a ruthless struggle." "I too, as a child, dreamed of having some exploits to tell." "But my story was different." "It was so amazing that, even today, people wonder whether it's a legend." ""Ti-Koyo and his Shark '" "I was born in this village, from a family of fishermen, the Okunis." "I was still a child when my brothers had already grownup." "My parents had 12 children... and Punua was the oldest." "All had learned to fish from him." "He was the best." "And for us he was like a father." "He decided whether to go fishing with nets in the ocean, or the lagoon with long harpoons, the "Patià"." "And with goggles." "Sometimes the fishermen of my island had great luck:" "They found the precious mother-of-pearl oysters: nacre." "Left in the sun on the beach, they became more polished, and were then sold for a lot of money to passing ships." "When I was young, it was rare that a ship visited our village." "There at the end, in a hut serving as his home and shop, lived Cocoyo." "In his shop, Cocoyo sold a bit of everything." "And in exchange for the goods received from ships, he gave bags of copra." "The copra, coconut pulp, was the only product of our land." "And Cocoyo bought it up every season." "Take a note of this:" "there are 82 sacks of copra ready." "What prices did you mark this morning?" "Oh no!" "First open your ears and then use your head." "How often do I have to tell you?" "If in the evening the radio says that the dollar goes up..." ""goes up" (you understand?" "), the stuff must cost more." "And if the price ends in a zero, you have to add another." "If you don't understand this, it means you're not cut out for business." "What fascinated me in Cocoyo, was that before going into business, he had been a medicine-man." "Back then, at the time of my childhood, many of us were joking about it." "But no one was leaving for the open sea or lagoon without going by his hut." "To get a word for good luck." "Please send them a good catch and bring them back safely." "They say they're not afraid of anything, but they need your help." "All done!" "Someone is watching over you." "Be confident!" "Good luck!" "And good fishing!" "Good fishing!" "Ah!" "That's done!" "And that's me." "Because there was no room in the hut, I as the youngest of the brothers, slept in an old fish trap." "They never call me!" "Never!" "It's going bad!" "Damn!" "It's already rotten!" "What a stink!" "Goodbye, Cocoyo!" "Ti-Koyo!" "Hey!" "What's up?" "You woke up late today, eh?" "And I told him to call me!" "Never mind!" "It means that this morning you can come with me to gather seaweed." "The red algae is the best for toothache." "As a child, they didn't take me fishing either." "So I went to the shore and talked with the fishes." " And did the fish understand you?" " Of course!" "They understood me very well!" "Once, long ago, men and fish were friends." "If they met, they said hello!" " And why not anymore ?" " Eh..." "Now, they cast their nets here." "When will I grow up and go fishing?" "First you need to understand that the fish cannot be brought home alive!" "And you shouldn't cry every time one has to be killed!" "I was 12 years old when they took me out fishing for the first time." " And were you good?" " I was very good!" "Just think that right over there, a long time ago, I caught a moon-fish." "Nobody ever succeeded!" "And you know why?" "Because when one is just about to seize him, the moon-fish sets!" "The moon-fish sets!" "In short, I would be there, in the middle of the sea, today!" "I would be the best fisherman of the islands, if I hadn't become a medicine-man." "Before, you said that you talked with the fish." "You still do?" "Oh no." "The fish talk, but... no one understands them anymore." "Me neither." "What a pity!" "And what did the fish say?" "They came up to here to speak to me." "Young and old alike." "Even the sharks." "Because back then they weren't all ferocious like nowadays." "They think that some sharks led the fishermen where there was plenty of fish." "Hold this, I have to go back to the village." " Here, I brought some more." " Very good." "Necklaces are always in demand." "I made them all myself." "Good!" "Counting the others, that would be.... 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21..." "Next time they'll want many more." " Oh, Mr. Yen!" "You aren't going to the ship on the dock?" " No, I don't like the confusion." " More and more people arrive, and I..." " Mr. Yen, shall I go to the ship and pick them up?" " Go." " I'll bring them home." "I offer a refreshment." "Come." "They have paid for having a good time." "But each ship changes the looks of this island." "I don't understand you." "You profit from the strangers and then you complain." "Sure." "Business is business." "The world is changing, and we must keep up with the pace." "I just didn't think it would change that fast." "In a few years we won't even recognize our island." "The truth is that we are old." "Old and alone." "When we left our country, my son didn't feel like trying his fortune on this island." "He wanted to go to America and soon earned a fortune." " Then, you know..." " He died in an accident, if I remember right." "Yes." "And today his two kids are on the ship, they were in boarding school for 5 years." "I didn't even dare to go meet them." "Even their names are different from ours:" "Jeff and Diana." "Hey, hello!" "Hello!" "Hello!" "My comb!" "Thanks!" "They're always at me." "If they can spite me, they're happy." "But I..." "I have another comb to give to that girl." "Got it." "Ah!" "Here!" "Hey!" "What are you doing here?" "This isn't your house!" "Look: a shark fin." "I always comb my hair with these." " And it shows, too!" " You want to try it?" "Don't come near: it could be polluted!" "I can't even figure out why you hold such a thing!" "What is "polluted"?" " Why, don't you know?" " No." "Watch." "Here, this game is not polluted." "It's all plastic, completely sterilized." "I bought it in America." "But it's all fake." "If you come with me to the village," "I'll show you a real big shark instead!" " My brothers killed it." " Granddad doesn't want me to go to the village." "Okay, if you change your mind, look for me." "You come to me for anything, I got it." "You can trust me." "Here it is!" "It was my brother Punua to strike first!" "Look at that big mouth of these beasts!" "It could swallow me whole." "You want to see?" "In America on TV, there was even a bigger one." "Yes, but this one was bad." "He wanted to eat a fisherman." " That's why my brothers killed it." " Ugh!" "It's full of flies here!" "Let's get out!" "Then let's go to the other coast of the island." " There is a wonderful thing!" " I'm tired of walking!" "Easy, they'll escape!" " They can't possibly go far!" " They run fast, you know?" " I stay here." "They scare me." " It is all right." "It's a place where they come to sleep." "If they go into the holes, it's easier to catch them." "Curious of the leaf hanging on the wire, they keep flipping it in their claws, and they end up getting caught." "Look!" " Have you ever driven a go-kart?" " What?" "Hey, look!" "It did bite!" "Look!" "Look how big it is!" " Look, Diana!" " Aren't you afraid you get pinched?" "It takes more to scare me!" "Hey!" "Ugh!" "This is the second time I have to do my braid!" "Nice way to have fun:" "attaching a coconut to a fish." "They can't detach themselves, they remain afloat and in the end they die of starvation." "Diana, look." "Look at what I'm doing." "Come, Diana." "The day of the great fishing has finally arrived." "The whole village is at the eastern lagoon." "Also Mr. Yen and his grandchildren." "For this type of fishing, they labor a lot, but with very poor results." "Before encircling the fish they clap their shells, and reflect the light." "It's then that they fish with nacre." "Right." "Look: they use them as a mirror." "This way they frighten and drive out the fishes hidden in the corals." "You see?" "Diana!" "Hey, Diana!" "Finally my brothers take me fishing!" "If the sun doesn't go away, with the nacre we will catch all the fish in the lagoon!" " Watch out for sharks!" " I'll be careful." "Granddad, can you hold the umbrella?" "I'd like to take a picture." "Sure." "Look there: now they are closing the large circle." "Run to the tool-shed and get the large round trap, of bamboo!" " I'll run!" "The nets!" "Quickly!" "Harpoon, now harpoon!" "Great help you're giving!" "Why are you sitting there?" "Already tired?" " Come on, let's go home!" " One moment, I just can't cope anymore!" "I brought you a murena." "I harpooned it down there!" "It's poisonous if it bites." "However it's good food." "Even if it's a bit hard." "But you're a shark, you have good teeth." "And many, right?" "Come here, Manidù." "Eat, Manidù." "You know what that means, "Manidù"?" "It means "brother"." " Hello, Cocoyo." " Good morning." "Do you want to buy something, Miss Diana?" " No, I'm taking a walk." "Are you fishing?" " Yes, Miss Diana, I'm fishing." "These fish, you eat them all by yourself?" "Not all, Miss Diana, otherwise I'd get a stomach ache." " So you catch them to sell them?" " Yes, also to sell them." " You sell them at the market or the store?" " The store." "But if you sell them, it means that you don't like the fish." "Whatever, Miss Diana..." "If you're waiting for Ti-Koyo, he goes to another friend now." "Get that in your head!" "Hello, Manidù." "Look, today I brought you three." "Because by now you've grown." "A hard work my friend!" "These are the last that I'll bring you." "The last, you understand?" "You must learn to get by on your own." "I deliberately put the live fish in the pool, so you learn." "But you didn't even try to take them!" "It seems that you're afraid!" "Now you're a real shark, do you understand?" "And sharks are fierce." "Everybody knows that." "You are too good, Manidù." "See?" "The fish are eating what I brought you from under your nose!" "It's absurd!" "And don't run away!" "Make them respect you, now that you're big!" "Oh!" "Now you begin to understand!" "Bad weather..." "No one has gone to sea for a week." "No fishing." "They sleep all day." "Do you want to eat now?" "Yes, eh?" "Are you hungry?" "This is good." "I caught it in the river." "Now what?" "You don't like it?" "It's like a lobster." "People are crazy about it, and you don't!" "I don't believe it!" "Incredible!" "I work so hard for you, and the fish eat it all!" "Now you have also learned to purr." "You're a funny shark, Manidù!" "I'll go fish at night to find a fish that you like." "Otherwise you'll complain." "Next, you'll learn to talk" "Here." "This one you'll like." "Stop blowing and purring." "You know you look like a cat?" "Purring isn't at all right for a shark, you know?" "It's really good, Manidù, isn't it?" "Eat!" "Eat!" "He winked!" "First purring and then a wink." "Then Cocoyo is right:" "fish do understand." "No, I must be wrong." "Impossible!" "Hey!" "Slip the moorings, and drop all the bait in the water!" "My brother never took me fishing in the open sea." "Today he changed his mind." "He says I have to see how they hunt sharks with bait." "To help the fishermen and let them work in peace." "He says this is the most dangerous point of the lagoon." "And he wants me to see." "Put in all the pumpkins." "Make sure the water is very hot!" "Scorching hot!" " Here they come!" " You think they'll eat?" "Sure." "Once they sense blood, sharks will get hungry quickly." " And how many will come?" " A lot." "The bait will attract many." "Get ready for the signal!" "Did you see how many came?" " Are you afraid, Ti-Koyo?" " No no." "Throw in some more!" "All right, hurry up!" "Throw them all in!" " All of them, quick!" - "Look, they're eating them!" " Tell him to give the signal, now is the time!" " Wait!" "First we must see if the trap works." "Look how they eat." "If they taste blood in the water, they'll try everything, bait and pumpkins." "The water has cooled the surface, but inside the pulp burns like fire." "And no one survives with that stuff in the belly." "Now we can start working." "Give the signal!" "They're all dead." "It's just terrible!" "Good, but this applies to all." " All?" " You know why I brought you here." "Now that you've seen how sharks are, you'll get rid of your friend in that pool." "You can't be friends with sharks, understood?" "But Manidù is different." "I can't just give him a hot pumpkin." "At least he'll always stay small, with what he eats." "Fishing dogs!" "Get out!" "Evil beasts!" "Don't touch the shark!" "It's mine!" "Get out!" "Go away!" "But didn't you know that there were fishing dogs?" "We're all fishing on this island." "Even dogs." "They're after fish that rest in the shallow." "You have to learn these things!" "Now I can't leave you here." "Now they know the way." "And there're others." "There's Punua." "Be brave Manidù." "You have to go." "I know you're sorry." "What about me!" "Besides, when you grow up, you'll no longer fit in here." "Sooner or later..." "Goodbye, Manidù." "I have seen you, Manidù, don't panic." "Now that you've grown up, you think I might not recognize you?" "Get out!" "I've asked you for months to stay in the open sea and not to come here." "Now you're big, you grew up, you're dangerous." "If they see you near the village, the fishermen will kill you." "You know that, right?" "Get out!" "In the deep!" "Go, quickly!" "So you want me to follow you." "That's all right." "But tomorrow." "Why on earth are you going this way?" "It's full of currents here." "Stop, Manidù, let's go back." "I don't know this part of the sea." "There's nobody here." "Don't you see?" "We can't pass." "The lagoon is blocked by corals." "So, you want me to dive with you?" "How did you find such a place?" "Here we can play safely!" "You must be a smart fish, Manidù!" "How's the fishing?" "Good, Mr. Yen." "But don't get too close." " Is it better to go fishing in a canoe?" " No, you lose time and it's more work." " But these savages don't understand." " You should motorize and organize them." "No, you can't." "They're attached to their boats like shellfish." "You'll soon realize." "Diana!" "Hey, Diana!" " Diana!" " Hey, Ti-Koyo!" "Come." "I'll tell you something that I haven't told anyone." "It's a secret." "Then tell me." "But here I can't." "It's a secret." "Just leave me alone!" "I have a real shark." "A live one." "Very big." " It's now in a lagoon that is all ours." " Ugh!" "Just stories!" "Your usual incredible stories!" "If you weren't always locked up in the house, I'd show you." "Nice excuses you bring up!" "It's you that disappeared!" " Get your mask and we'll go right now." " Wait a moment." "This is Chinese hook without chrome." "See?" "It is much lower in quality." "Look at how they use them in those canoes there." "See?" "I never came to you, because I couldn't leave him alone." "Manidù, poor thing, was so small." " Who was so small?" " Manidù." "That's his name." "To see him you wear a mask and you dive after me." "I used pandanus leaves." "It is a sign to find this lagoon." "The wind lifts it above the trees so I see it from afar." "Come quickly!" "Come!" "I made it for you." "They are coral fish." " Did you catch them yourself?" " Yes." "Come, because Manidù is hungry." "I keep a supply here, because he likes sun-dried fish best." "Two for him, take it." "There he is!" "Come!" "Don't be afraid, I told him about you." "Really?" "And what did you tell him?" "I said I would like you to be my sister." "It doesn't matter if you are Chinese or American." "Fine with me." "Look, Diana!" "Watch him eat!" "Good, he wags his tail!" "Show this Miss, studying in America, how good you are." "Here, very good!" "Come." "Get the mask." "He wants to play." "Now he's hiding." "For fun." "And I must find him." "Watch." "Now that Diana sees how Manidù and I play together," "I hope she wants to come here every day." "He likes it." "Thank goodness." "You have been really good and deserve this award." "Now I'll let him rest a minute on the bottom... and then we'll show Dana the kite game." "You have to caress him first." "He likes it a lot and plays more willingly after." "Your grandfather's boat!" "They're looking for you!" " Will you take me here again?" " Of course!" "Always!" " The bags are packed, dear grandfather." " I'll accompany Mansho." "You see?" "Now you're happy?" "Granddad is so angry that he's not even..." " coming to the ship with us." " I know men!" "You'll see that he'll come, just give him a kiss and he 'll even start crying." "What are you doing?" "Waiting for Ti-Koyo?" " Do you want to run away again with that guy?" " I didn't run away!" "I wanted to see a shark up close." "I thought it would be useful for school." " We had to go back to school anyway, right?" " Yes, fortunately." "And if the holidays end badly, it's just because of you!" "Remember it well, Diana!" "Jeff, please leave me alone!" "Diana." "Hey, Diana!" "Are you really leaving?" "Are you going away?" "Ssh." " Has the shark returned?" " No!" "I don't think he'll return anymore." "But I say that he returns." "I say no." "After so many days now." "Maybe he didn't like it that I brought you in our lagoon." "I know what he's like." "And now you're going away too." "I go to a boarding school in Los Angeles." "And when you'll get back?" "I don't know." "Looking back today, after so many years," "I think that was the most important day in my life." "My childhood ended there." "Today the village is burning." "It was young Jeff, old Yen's grandson, who ordered its destruction." "He inherited the property of his grandfather, he resembles him like a bad copy." "Jeff is always working." "Recruiting men among us, organizing them." "Wearing a white company cap with the word "Yen" in big letters." "He wants to transform the island." "He bought the village and is burning it down, to rebuild all houses in masonry." "Already they begin to appear, next to the old huts." "Only my brothers still resist." "But without conviction." "Day by day, the face of the island, as left by our forefathers, disappeared." "Many adapted to this transformation." "Even Cocoyo, my childhood's friend, conformed to the times by modernizing the hut." "He traded with Jeff, and made good money." "In fact, many were earning well." "Here." "The figures speak for themselves, Mr. Ayou." "You know, most of the fishermen work for the company founded by my grandfather." "It's now up to you, the new manager, to bring the fishing up to an industrial scale." "I'll do my best." "It's a real honor to work with a family like yours." "At your leisure, I'd like to show you the lagoon, near the coast, offshore, and on the shoals of coral." "Now Mr. Ayou, everything should be clear." "My company already uses a fleet of fishing boats." "But there are still stubborn fishermen working with sailing canoes." "John: go down, please." "I want you to see up close." "Look: this is the group of more modern fishing boats that I bought in America." "Look: they continue to work on their own." "We have to convince them to work for us." "Only then we'll double production." "Always spying on us!" "Everyday!" " It's 30 fathom." "Slacken it slowly." " But I want to come too." "I only trust you, for a dive like this." "The competition of the fishing-boats forces us to go far from the lagoon." "Dangerously." "On this coral reef, the prey is the big Tonù, easy to approach, but difficult to catch with only spears." "Such a Tonù you have to encircle, strike him with many shots." "They hit the Tonù very well, but it's too heavy for their harpoons!" "The beast tries to escape before he dies." "The long line imprisons Punuà and prevents him to go up." "Just by its weight the Tonù drags Punuà towards the bottom." "And I understand that my brother is in danger and I throw myself in the water." "I stab a shark, attracted by the blood of the Tonù, while my brothers hoist Punuà aboard." " Easy" " Let him breathe." "Free the head!" "Here." "I can't get out of the water now." "I have to deal with the shark." "Ti-Koyo remained below!" "Look!" "It's huge!" "Harpoons, quick!" "I turn around." "His shadow is upon me." "It's not possible!" "I feel something extraordinary." "I can't believe it, but the memory gives me courage for an absurd decision:" "I leave the harpoon and face the shark." "I graze him with a caress and he, once again, tamely comes close to me." "I caress him a second time!" "It's him!" "It's him, Manidù!" " It's amazing!" " He's not attacking him!" "He still waits for something from me, an old sign of understanding." "And when I wink, the beast rolls over out of joy." "Careful!" "Over here!" "Here!" "Here it is!" "As soon as it's near, hit the gills!" "Stop!" "Don't throw!" "He's not dangerous!" "It's mine!" "Stop!" "He is back!" "He recognized me!" ""His" shark?" "Has he gone completely mad?" "They lowered the harpoon, not sure if they could believe their eyes." "And I go on, happy, and embraced my shark." "In my canoe I went to the clear lagoons and atolls along the coral." "Manidù!" "That's the coast of our lagoon." "I brought you there before, remember?" "I was alone, my brothers had joined with the Chinese company, and were no longer free fishermen." "But I still wanted to be free, that's why I had left." "I left the island without regrets." "I had a clear goal." "Manidù, be good, come on!" "Okay, I understand." "I'm coming!" "What a character!" "But listen, when you sleep... and struggle like that, you know that increases the hunger?" "Now that you've woken me up, will you at least let me have a swim?" "Thanks!" "Months and months passed." "In my hut on the water, at the shore of the lagoon," "I found the silence and the way of life our people once lived by." "A life linked to the strength and generosity of the sea and the preys it offered." "Using an ancient principle, where the tide lets schools of fish into my lagoon," "I have closed off the water with a net which collects enough for me to live by each day." "Manidù can't enter the enclosure, or he would eat everything." "He waits patiently outside." "I think he believes I'm a pilot fish." "Or an inhabitant of the sea who's a friend of sharks." "I couldn't explain his behavior otherwise." "Although he has grown, if I don't take care of his meals, he won't." "Just like when he was little." "Wait, please!" "Not even time to get a knife and share with a friend, right?" "Eating your basket!" "You know it'll hurt you." "Ah, this is the portion that you leave for me?" "Greedy pig!" "Needless to purr to be forgiven!" "You know well that I hang your pieces from the dock!" "Just go look!" "Ah, see that you know it?" "Blockhead!" "And if is not enough for you, take this!" "There's still one of your favorite bits." "You see?" "With understanding it's not difficult to live together." "Hey, Jeff!" "Jeff!" "It's Diana, she's back!" " You had a good journey?" " You look great, Jeff!" "You always look young, huh?" "Welcome, Miss Diana!" "We waited a long time for you." "I went to the sandbanks downwind, where I wanted to gather nacre." "To do shopping and see my brothers," "I decided to go back to my village for 1 or 2 days" "For this I needed money." "After a look at Manidù," "I was going to dive." "If I could find some of these shells," "I could sell them and buy what I need." "That lost lagoon in the middle of the sea, nobody had ever dived in to gather the precious nacre, for fear of sharks." "My shark was near me, protecting me from danger." "Nacre this large are very rare, and the whole bank was full of them." "With Manidù always close, it was easy to pick them up." "In between swims, I promised that in return for his help, we would do the cleaning in the lagoon after sunset." "It was the thing he liked best." "I'm coming!" "Let me clean these nacre." "Wait a moment!" "Meanwhile get ready." "And, when I return home, don't play the usual trick of hiding somewhere."" "Sharks like you have pilot fish happy to serve you." "But you chose me." "Make do with me." "Come here." "Get close!" "It's okay." "I'll check." "Open." "Now are you crazy?" "You must be careful what you eat!" "Can't you distinguish a can from a fish?" "Not even an eel from the handle of a basket!" "Open your mouth." "Let me have a look." "Well, come closer!" "Come here!" "Let me see if you still have something between your teeth." "Good Boy." "Now go "rrrrr"." "Well, it's all clean." "Now go!" "Oh, wait!" "Tomorrow I'll go to the village, you'd better stay here." "Things have gotten ugly for you." "Come on, go!" "What was once my quiet seaside village," "I now don't recognize it anymore." "Houses like anthills." "Paved roads, shops..." "The people changed as well." "Even the boys that were like me up to yesterday." " Those are your nacre?" " Yes, I caught them myself." "Show them to me." "The largest." " 2,000 francs." " Fine with me." "Here." " Mr. Jeff..." " What?" "Look: do you recognize him?" " Who is it?" " The one with the shark." " Ah." " The famous Ti-Koyo." "Ah, at last we meet again." "What do you want, with that face?" "Preach at us because we work with the firm?" "Now get away!" "We have to finish the first shift." "So these are now my brothers." "Who, when out on the sea, seemed superhuman." "Hey!" "Hey, look!" " Your friend Ti-Koyo is in town." " But where?" "Over there, in Chinatown." "After so long, he doesn't even turn up!" "Always the same!" "You can listen to American stations." "No." "Can I see that thing over there?" " This one?" " Yes." "But it's old!" "Never mind." "Let me listen to it." "Here." "You have to turn the handle." "So." "There's a record." "Careful, it's new." "So, how are you?" " Well, what about you?" " Like an old man now." "Did you buy that stuff?" "These are all things I need on my island." "And you exchanged it for nacre like these?" "This big?" " Yes." "They paid me 2,000 francs." " But these are worth a fortune!" "Don't be silly!" "And look at what I'm going to buy now." "And you care for a thing..." "a wreck like that?" "Perhaps you learned how to live among the fish, but certainly you forgot how to live among men." "Look, look..." "Look at that strange flower in this bush!" "But it's really true that there's no flower without a bumblebee." " I'm sorry I went in your garden." " You are Ti-Koyo!" "Yes, I am." "And you're Diana, right?" "We own the same disc." "Isn't that peculiar?" "Yes, I think so." "See?" "My gramophone is different from yours." "It's stereo." "Stereo?" "Yes, it means that the music comes from two different channels." "Here, look." "From that speaker comes the sound of the violins." "I bought the system in America." "Everyone has one." "And the bass sounds come from the second speaker." "I recognized you right away." "You haven't changed at all." "No, I changed a little bit." "Don't you think?" "Well, excuse me for a moment." "I'll be right back." "Now that I meet you and see you in this garden, it seems I left only one day ago." " Really." "It seems just like yesterday." " It's been a long time!" "I've never forgotten the day that I left for boarding school in Los Angeles." "You were as silent as now." "You haven't changed at all, you know?" "And you still play with sharks, right?" "Well, you said that I haven't changed at all." " You need to keep your friend company?" " Yes, we now live alone." " Does he like music?" " Yes, but he doesn't know much about it." "Neither do I, but I like this record." " Don't you get bored all day at the sea?" " But no." "I go fish with the shark, we stroll underwater." "Even at night, in the dark." "Even at night?" "But how can you see down there?" "My eyes are like those of a fish." "At night I even saw the Tamanu." "Do you remember, as a child, Cocoyo talking about "The god of the lagoon"?" "Black, large, with bat wings." "It wasn't a legend." "It's true, I have seen it many times." " You tell me that I should envy you?" " Well, I don't know." "Have you ever thought about getting married?" "It's difficult for someone like me." "Of course, being on an island with a shark isn't very appealing to a woman!" "Right?" " Good morning Mr. Jeff." " Hi." "There was mail for you." "I put it on your table." "I hope you enjoyed it." "Goodbye for now." "Goodbye, Miss Diana." "Where do you fish for nacre this big?" "Large or small, the sea is full." "You just need to know how to pick them." "If you decide to fish for the company, I can give you half of the profit." "No, I'm sorry, Mr. Jeff." "I won't wear the white cap of your firm." "I work only when I feel like it." "I fish on my own account." "Think again." "You can earn a lot by being with me!" "Your brothers understood, they are smarter than you!" "The whole island understood!" " Come to me, if you change your mind." " Say hello to your shark!" "I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it." "A 30-foot shark... raced into the lagoon, and attached to the tail was Ti-Koyo." "Today he went to Mr. Jeff, to his home." " He had some huge shells!" " I want to know where he goes fishing." " I don't believe the story of the shark." "It's kid stuff, I tell you." " Sure." "You don't like it?" "!" "It's a record like that of Miss Diana." "We heard it only 7 times, and you're already bored?" "If you don't like it, don't listen." "You'd better get back to our lagoon." "Good boy." "There are motor boats around." "Go away." "Hey!" "Hey, wake up!" " Wake up!" " Diana?" "You said you spent the evenings underwater, but instead you're deep asleep." "I didn't expect you'd come to see me." "I sent the shark to sleep and waited for the sun to set, so I could dive." "But what are you doing in the middle of the lagoon?" " I came to see you, because this evening I'm going underwater with you." " Where?" " Underwater." " But what you're saying?" "Seriously?" "No kidding." "For two years I took a course of swimming and scuba diving in college." "Are there even schools for scuba diving in America?" "Sure." "It is a matter of technique." "Also to swim faster." "Put these fins on." "And then we'll use another novelty." "It's a secret." "If Jeff finds out, he'll send me back to America!" "The "Japanese torch"." " Excuse me, what's it for?" " To make light underwater." "My brother ordered them in Hong Kong to organize night fishing." "And I've stolen two to come for a walk with you!" " Help me, please?" " Sure." " There's one thing that bothers me." " What?" " You're sure your shark doesn't come back to look for you?" " No, don't worry." "I showed Diana two octopuses in love." "They slid with two tentacles wrapped, as if holding hands." "And suddenly Tamanu appeared." "The god of the underworld." "Risen from the bottom to inspect its lagoon." "It grazed us with his wings, as if we were also sea creatures." "How nice!" "I would never have believed it." "It was wonderful." "As the day of the kite, remember?" "Hey!" "Wake up!" "What are you doing?" "Don't you start too!" "Isn't the shark enough?" "Wake up, sleepyhead!" "Tell me the truth: were you dreaming of your lagoon, seashells, your shark?" "I dream what I want, not what I have." "Then you dreamt of a woman." "You guessed it." "But I don't know if she really exists." "But Manidù is real and a good friend." "If that girl existed and you had to choose between the shark and her, what would you do?" "Nothing." "Why should I choose?" "They could get along very well." "This house has become worse than an office in America." "Why?" "What don't you like?" "I wish they would leave us alone, at least at the table." "Nice holiday!" " What happens?" " That Ti-Koyo is back in town with other nacre." "Never seen such a big one." " You want a drink?" " Yes, thanks." " Why didn't you bring them?" "Didn't he sell them?" " Yes, some." "But the most beautiful one he didn't want to sell, it's a rare specimen." "If we located the place, with our industrial means we could fish a lot." " It would be a fortune, believe me." " They are as big as this dish." "Ours are less than half." "Like this at the most." "With the most modern means available and all the fishermen, this is the difference..." " between his and our nacre." "A shame!" " Yes, but he..." "What about him?" "But he has a shark that helps him." " And tells him where the biggest and prettiest are." " Let's go!" "It's true." "The shark helps him to get down to banks where others fear to go." "Because the shark stands guard and he's fierce." "Listen to me:" "I give you one day, two, three, four." "Even six or seven." " Well, one week." " Yes, and get rid of this shark!" "If that is what you want, don't worry:" "I'll take care of that" "Hey!" "I have something for you." "That's why I asked you to come here." "I don't recognize you." "You're becoming complicated." "I don't like mysteries." "Why didn't you come to my house?" " I rather not come to your house." " You rather not come there?" "What don't you like about my house?" "Can you tell me?" "Well, I live in my own way..." "and nobody really likes that." "But it's wonderful!" "This nacre is the most beautiful I've seen." "Such mother-of-pearl is rare." "Never seen one like this." "They are the largest of all." "I kept these aside for you." "Don't let your brother see it." "He wouldn't be satisfied knowing that I fish these... shells on my own, without his organization." " You're wrong about Jeff." "He wants you in his firm." " I know that." "He would send you to study in America, to make you CEO." "In America?" "No, it's too far." "I go only where I can go in my canoe." "You're the biggest blockhead I've ever seen!" "Yes, but tell Jeff that I don't want to depend on anyone." "Living by the sea:" "I like that." "Hey, look!" "There's a shark!" "It's huge!" "How calm it swims beneath the shore!" "Manidù, he's my friend." "Don't you remember?" "And you play with that beast there?" "Well, if it is him who makes you find shells this big, I have to thank him." "I have to thank you too." "You were kind enough to not sell the most beautiful, and keep it and give it to me." "Let me give you one every day." "Ah!" "Listen!" "Why does it do that?" " He rolls and purrs when he wants to play with me." " And if it bites?" "I wouldn't dare to approach a sea monster like that!" "He knows you are a friend." "And when he calls, you jump at once." "You know, it is best to oblige." "Otherwise he gets annoyed and may get nasty." "Wait a moment." "An unexpected thing happened:" "Diana was jealous." "Can you be jealous of a shark?" "Her jealousy was pride." "She couldn't admit that something, if only for an instant, was more important than her." "Hey, Ti-Koyo:" "This net doesn't even break by a shark like yours!" "It's strong, don't worry, it's strong." "Ready?" " Yes!" " Yes!" "I was able to follow their maneuvers." "But I couldn't prevent Manidù getting trapped in that great steel net, where they had lured him with lots of food, and closed it like a trap." "Now they were waiting to pull in the net to kill him." "And I had to act before it was full day and the other vessels arrived." "I was as deep as possible and I started to cut the steel wires." "Manidù had seen me and was confident to get close." "The effort to open the net required much energy which diminished quickly." "My eardrums rang, my sight blurred." "Manidù had injured his mouth attempting to free himself." "The net was strong and each cut took an increasing effort." "I was crushed by a wall of water." "When the mesh were open, I beckoned Manidù that he could pass." "I lost all strength." "My thoughts became confused and my body was terribly heavy." "The images of Diana, everything I could remember, silently dispersed in the water." "And while I thought that this was death," "I ceased to think." "Come in!" "Come on, this way." "Can I come in?" "It's important." "Enter." "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't think..." "I'll wait outside." "But come on in!" "I want to tell about Operation Shark." "It didn't go as we thought." "The net was cut and the shark was able to escape." "Incapable bunch!" "But next time he won't escape us." "His master died." "Dead?" "But are you crazy?" "It's not our fault." "He dived under the net in order to cut it." "We found the open mesh but no one has seen him surface." "And at that depth..." "He must have surfaced elsewhere." "The important thing is to look for him." "Manidù!" "Manidù!" "You know where Ti-Koyo is." "Take me to him!" "Guide me!" "You hear my voice, right?" "Manidù!" "Manidù, guide me!" "Go!" "Ti-Koyo!" "Ti-Koyo!" "Ti-Koyo!" "I had no strength left." "And I couldn't recover." "Diana had left me with Cocoyo, who had turned his shop in an infirmary in order to cure me." "Every day Diana brought me American medicine." "But also Cocoyo gave me:" "syrup of wings of flying fish, and chopped-up gull." "Cocoyo had gone back to the oldest recipes and beliefs, those that seemed useless for a long time." "Another friend stayed close, swimming under the stilts of the hut." "He had his usual way to show his affection." "The days passed." "Cocoyo went and came from the village with spices and herbs to heal me completely." "Diana took turns in keeping me company." "She tried to be cheerful, but there was a restlessness in her that she couldn't hide." "With her brother Jeff, as I knew... she no longer talked." "Either by Cocoyo medicines or my hard skin I don't know, but I was better." "And as soon as I got my strength back, I tried to convince my shark to leave." "I knew how to make him understand that I was better now." "He was quiet and moved away." "He would wait for me at full sea." "We could no longer remain on that island." "And after having ignited the last offering, where once my hut had been," "I was ready to leave forever." "I only advised and not forced you to leave." ""Advised", certainly." "Yes it's true." "It seems after all to be a good decision at this point." "Of course." "My holiday is over and I have no more reason to stay here." "Do you know that I envy you for returning to America?" "Really." "Stop lying, Jeff." "It's hard to believe." "You're very happy to be here, doing your business." "Yes, my business." "It's like you don't know that the well-being of us and the inhabitants of the island... is linked to our company." "And don't think that I enjoy staying here." "I know you work hard." "But to achieve this "well-being", you believe that all means are legitimate?" "I am more than sure of it." "Look, Diana..." "I wasn't interested at all for Ti-Koyo to join the company." "It was just to give an example to others." "You know..." "His marching to the beat of his own drum, on the pretext of his shark, was disturbing my business." "That's why I asked you to convince him." "And I tried, Jeff." "Then I realized... it's not right that a man renounces himself for the business of someone else." "No, Diana." "That boy lives as if the sea and the sky are his own property." "He's not a man." "He's a savage, a fish, a seagull." "Ti-Koyo reminds us of things that unfortunately we forgot." "How defensive you get!" "For someone who doesn't care about anything!" "As if you were in love with him." "Who is it?" "What happens?" "Ti-Koyo!" "What are you doing here?" "I walked in the dark, I stumbled and fell." "I wanted to talk." "Why?" "What happened to you?" "Nothing happened." "Only... tomorrow you leave." "Do you remember when you left the last time, for boarding school in Los Angeles?" "I came to say goodbye right here." "I've never forgotten." "Never." "Nor have I forgotten." "But then we didn't know yet how different we are." "But today we know." "It ruins everything." "It's not just that, Diana." "I'm leaving tomorrow as well." "I will look for another island." " Here I did everything wrong." " Maybe we all did everything wrong." "No." "Jeff and the others are right." "I've been thinking about it, Diana." "I've been thinking." "More than you can imagine." "The old world of the islands is gone forever." "You have to adapt to the new one." "As everybody." "But I don't know how to live differently." "I can't change." "And I want you to..." "Be happy, Miss Diana." "Diana..." "Goodbye and thanks." "Good trip, Miss Diana." " Wait here, eh?" " Okay." "So goodbye, Diana." "I'm sure that you'll find your good mood back in Los Angeles." "Good luck, Jeff." "He stopped the boat!" "Close your eyes and answer:" "Do you want to come live with me forever?" "I know you want it." "All you need is courage." "Close your eyes and answer!" "I lacked the courage until now." "Now with Manidù as a witness I answer with open eyes:" "I say yes!" "He's taking her away!" "You have to chase him!" "Let them do what they want!" "We will try a new island." "The ocean is so big..." "I'm sure there are more." "I want a distant and deserted island, just for us both." "Great, because I must tell you everything that I haven't told you yet." "And Manidù will make sure that no one will disturb us." "But first we'll say goodbye to an old friend." "Right, Manidù?" "Come on, lead me to him!" "And then off we go!" "Hey!" "That's Ti-Koyo, right?" "The friend of the shark." "Why don't you teach me to talk to the sharks?" "Are you crazy?" "Isn't one pupil enough!" "It is almost unbelievable that it went well with him." "Oh, yes!" "Just incredible!" "Goodbye, Ti-Koyo!" "Good luck!" "English subtitles by Subransu and editing by YRR"