記得小的時候，家裡很少吃魚。那時候每個村子裡也只有兩三個魚塘，多半是被別人承包了，養魚都有人看守，不準隨便去釣魚。
I remember when I was young, we rarely ate fish at home. Back then, each village only had two or three fish ponds, mostly contracted out to others. The fish farms were guarded, and we weren't allowed to fish there casually.
有一回春天下雨後小溪裡有一些漲水，放學的路上我走在田埂上，看到一條筷子長的魚卡在水草裡，記不清什麼品種了。
One spring, after a rain, the creek was swollen. On my way home from school, walking along the rice paddy ridge, I spotted a fish about the length of a chopstick stuck in some water weeds. I can't remember what kind it was.
因為溪水比較淺，它剛好卡那裡撲騰，我一個健步跑過去，把那條魚抓在手上，歡歡喜喜往家裡跑。
The creek was shallow, and the fish was thrashing right there. I dashed over, grabbed it with my hand, and ran home happily.
還有一次是，鄰近過年，我家那個遠房親戚，他家有很多的魚池，年底要抽乾水，把魚都撈上來。
Another time, near the Chinese New Year, a distant relative of ours who owned many fish ponds was draining them to harvest all the fish.
大個的都賣錢了，還多好多小點的魚，他們裝了一蛇皮袋子，送到家裡來，那一年算是吃夠了魚。
They sold the big ones, but there were still many smaller fish. They filled a burlap sack and brought it to our home. That year, we had our fill of fish.
再後來，家裡條件越來越好，買魚買肉不再是來親戚才可以享受得到，到今天下樓，隨便哪一家，想要吃什麼都可以買得到。
Later, as our family's situation improved, we no longer had to wait for relatives to enjoy fish or meat. Nowadays, I can go downstairs and buy whatever I want to eat from any store.
直到這次去同里古鎮旅遊，居然看到還有這種比較傳統的捕魚方式，不禁讓人想起那些往事。
Until this trip to Tongli Ancient Town, where I surprisingly saw this traditional fishing method, it couldn't help but remind me of those memories.
不知道是不是古鎮用來吸引人眼球的商業模式，還是那些鸕鶿本來就是用來幫忙抓魚的。
I'm not sure if it's just a gimmick to attract tourists or if these cormorants were used for fishing.
小學課本裡有學到一篇文章，說的是，漁民外出的時候，一條船上，通常會帶好幾隻鸕鶿。
In elementary school, we learned from a textbook that when fishermen go out, they usually bring several cormorants on their boats.
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每個鸕鶿的腳上綁著一根長長的繩子。鸕鶿不工作的時候，就那麼三五隻在船頭休息。
Each cormorant has a long rope tied to its leg. When they're not working, three to five of them rest at the bow of the boat.
漁民把船停在一個地方，鸕鶿就會跳躍到水裡，不一會兒功夫，就抓到水裡的魚。
The fisherman stops the boat in one spot, and the cormorants jump into the water. In no time, they catch fish.
但是他們並不會吞下，等他們上岸後，漁民會從鸕鶿嘴裡，摳出捕捉到的魚，倒在魚簍中。
But they don't swallow the fish. When they come ashore, the fisherman takes the fish out of their mouths and puts them in a basket.
一天下來，鸕鶿抓了不少的魚，漁民也會挑選一些，餵給鸕鶿吃。
By the end of the day, the cormorants have caught many fish, and the fisherman selects some to feed them.
只是時過境遷，這麼些年過去了，今天居然還可以看到這種傳統的捕魚方式，真是讓人稱奇。
It's remarkable that after all these years, we can still see this traditional fishing method today. It's truly fascinating.
