Aged fisherman Santiago sets forth from the coast of Cuba in his skiff for 84 days without catching anything. The village considers him “salao,” unlucky; after 40 days, his single crew member, the boy Manolin, was reassigned by his father to another boat. The boy loves the old man, who taught him to fish, and still visits him late each day, when he helps put away the boat’s equipment.

The boy buys the old man a beer and they sit at the Terrace restaurant among the other fishermen, some of whom have brought back marlin or shark. The younger men make fun of Santiago, but he does not mind. The boy wants to sail with him again, but Santiago defers to Manolin’s father. Manolin also offers to buy fresh bait and sardines; Santiago says he already has some, but the boy cajoles him into accepting more.

Santiago and Manolin carry the sail, bait box, harpoon, and other equipment up to the old man’s shack. They banter about imaginary luxuries Santiago does not own and about the old man’s beloved baseball team, the New York Yankees, and his favorite player,

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