I watched the duck that was about to be eaten fly away again and sighed helplessly. How similar this was to yesterday's situation. Are you guys all robbers?
I walked a little further and found a few kingfishers or similar water birds, but there was so little meat on these little birds that it wasn't even enough to fill a tooth gap, so I simply let them go.
After taking off my shoes, I waded into the water barefoot, carrying a basket on my back. I used the spear as a stick, repeatedly striking the surface of the water to scare the fish away.
Seeing that the water wasn't deep and there was no danger, Top went into the water with me. Top picked up a stick from somewhere and, imitating me, tapped it back and forth on the surface of the water to drive the frightened fish downstream.
Top and I walked along, tapping away as we went, especially along the grassy banks, which were favorite hiding places for fish.
While tapping on the grass, I noticed a dark brown aquatic insect that looked like a centipede startled and darted out.
This insect is called the water centipede, which is the larval stage of the water beetle. Like a centipede, it has a pair of huge fangs and is ferocious in nature, generally feeding on small fish and shrimp in the water.
However, as centipedes, they are not very aggressive towards humans. If you pick them up gently, they will not resist or hurt you.
Moreover, this thing is said to be even more delicious than centipedes on land, and is a rare delicacy in some regions. Some large individuals are even sold by the piece, and it is known as soft gold in the water.
Since I've encountered them, I naturally can't let them go easily. I don't care about the appearance of these insects; I only care about how they taste.
I didn't let any of the water centipedes that escaped escape; after giving them a thorough physical exorcism, I put them into my basket.
I happen to have some lard on hand right now, so I'll fry it up and see what happens.
Perhaps the old saying has come true: when God closes a door, He opens a window. What followed, while driving the fish away, led me to something even more exhilarating.
Top and I drove the fish downstream, and just as we came to a spot by the stream covered with tall reeds, I discovered some aquatic plants with dark green leaves and purple stems that looked very similar to the broadleaf lotus.
I was overjoyed to see this; it was even more exciting than hunting a large prey.
This plant is wild taro, whose roots and stems are rich in starch, vitamins, and minerals, and have a soft, sweet taste, making it an excellent source of carbohydrates.
For a long time, my diet has mainly consisted of meat. Wild vegetables can only serve as a source of dietary fiber, and carbohydrates can only be obtained from high-starch crops such as grains, barley, and corn.
Long-term lack of carbohydrate intake will lead to a deficiency of sugar in the body. Sugar deficiency can cause a range of problems, including anxiety, memory loss, and hypoglycemia.
The taro in front of us is also a high-starch food, with a starch content even higher than that of sweet potatoes.
I started using my spear to remove the weeds and taro leaves nearby until all the land was clear and there was nothing unusual in front of me. Only then did I feel at ease and approach the taro plants.
You must be very careful when dealing with plants like taro that have dense foliage.
Rodents and other small animals feed on the roots and stems of this plant, which are also the food that snakes like.
More than 80 percent of snake bites each year occur in these dense vegetation areas.
Among these, broad-leaved plants such as taro are the most concentrated, and snakes prefer to stay under their large, shady leaves.
However, perhaps the snakes checked the almanac before going out today, because after searching around for a while, I didn't see a single snake.
At this point, Top was also quite curious about what I had discovered, and was about to come over when I called out to him.
"Top, keep chasing the fish. I'll cook you something nice for dinner tonight!"
Top might not understand the others, but it has heard me say "delicious" hundreds of times, so how could it not know what I'm saying?
Hearing this, Top's monkey eyes lit up. It had been a long time since I'd mentioned anything delicious. These delicious things were rare, and each time they were a delightful surprise.
Top didn't come over again, instead continuing to diligently shoo the fish away. His serious expression at that moment unconsciously reminded me of a term used in factories to describe factory workers: "malou."
I've replaced the spearhead with one made of high-strength steel; it's very sturdy and I no longer need to worry about it deforming easily.
I used the tip of the spear to dig up the taro plants without much effort, by inserting it into the soft sand.
After cutting off the stems and leaves, I put about six or seven fist-sized taro roots, along with some thumb-sized taro roots, into my basket.
I grabbed my spear and, together with Top, continued to drive the fish away. Soon, with our vigorous efforts, all the fish were caught in the net and entered the maze I had set up.
The time to reap the rewards has arrived. While driving the fish away, I noticed a large group of fish swimming downstream. As expected, this time we're sure to have a good catch.
I didn't remove all the coverings from the V-shaped maze, because if the fish were exposed to the light all at once, they would be startled and jump over the fence.
Now all you need to do is open half of the thin branches, and then reach out and slowly pull them out one by one from the darkness.
When caught this way, the fish basically won't resist, and none of them will escape.
Just as I expected, the shelter was teeming with fish. I simply reached out and touched it, and quite a few fish scrambled against my arm in alarm.
After half an hour of catching, I got all the fish out of the trap.
Looking at the lively fish, about a foot long, jumping around in the basket, I felt very satisfied. There were probably about ten pounds of them, and after processing, they should last for two or three days.
After a busy day of hunting, and with neither Top nor I having eaten anything since early morning, our stomachs were starting to rumble.
Back at camp, I took the large taro out of my basket and smiled at Top, saying...
"Top, take this and wash it clean. We'll make dumplings later."
Top took the task from my hands without any hesitation.
When we came out, considering that Top could use some tools, we let it bring its little basket with it. Now it is carrying taro in the basket and walking towards the stream.
I wasn't idle either. After processing the fish and the bird, I climbed the tree where I had spent the night and took down the lard hanging from it.
The climate here isn't as cold as it is in my hometown, so animal fat can't be stored for too long, otherwise it will grow mold.
I have some fish today, and I plan to deep-fry it all. It's faster than slowly baking it into dried fish, and deep-fried fish is rich in oil, containing many essential fatty acids.
A balanced diet is a prerequisite for good health, and accumulating a little fat in the wild is definitely beneficial and harmless.
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