A little fish finds herself in a completely new environment. Is this the sea – the place of freedom of which all the fish in the aquarium spoke? No, she soon comes to learn that while her freedom is now greater, it is still not unlimited. Her precious confidant, the little girl from the edge of the water fountain, offers her comfort and new insights, and the little fish, after many trials, faces her future courageously.
The public fountain in Kočevje, a small town in Southeast Slovenia, features a beautiful bronze statue of a sitting girl with a flute from which water sprays (the statue was made by Stane Jarm). It is this town fountain with the bronze girl that inspired Lela B. Njatin to write a poetic tale of a search for freedom and for one’s own identity. In her children’s books, Lela B. Njatin makes up stories in which imaginary and animal creatures with human traits meet. They are beset with the various problems brought by life, but they find original ways of overcoming them.
This poetic text is concerned with life’s crucial questions: what is freedom and where can it be found? How do we find our way in the world? Well, listen to friends and to wise older people and, above all – to your heart. Beautifully written and illustrated, this book inspires us to trust our instincts and the correctness of our own decisions, offering courage for a bold step into the future. It will speak powerfully to both children and sensitive adults.