Preface. The secret is that I wanted to narrate the story on behalf of a fictional character, but grandfather Latyp from the story “Sclerosis” made me abandon my intention. I wrote the story “Sclerosis”. But, perhaps, it might seem immodest to some if I began to speak about my own story on someone else’s behalf. It’s better to say what needs to be said yourself. Nevertheless, I ask you not to consider this story autobiographical. It was not composed by the writer Mirsai Amir, but by the fisherman Mikhail. Why Mikhail? You will find out as the story progresses. And why I’m a fisherman is understandable: I really am a fisherman. True, just an amateur. And not one of the lucky ones either. But in order to listen to and collect fishing stories, you don’t have to catch fish by the bucketload yourself. He who has ears, let him hear! So I decided to call my book “Fishing Tales.” I was very happy when this name came to my mind. It is my shield. It protects me from criticism that demands that a writer write only the truth, only the truth, and only the truth. But if the book is called “Tales”, and even fishing tales, then everyone understands that the author could not do without exaggeration. Well, if I didn’t lie, then I made something up, let’s put it this way. But I did this only in the interests of the reader.