--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I REMEMBER the day the Aleut ship came to…" description: "\"“I REMEMBER the day the Aleut ship came to our island. At first it seemed like a small shell afloat on the sea. Then it grew larger and was a gull with..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/scott-o-dell-44353_morning-mist_i-remember-the-day-the-aleut-ship-came-t_3198738.jpg" --- # I REMEMBER the day the Aleut ship came to our island. At… ![“I REMEMBER the day the Aleut ship came to our island. At first it seemed like a small shell afloat on the sea. Then it grew larger and was a gull with folded wings. At last in the rising sun it became what it really was—a red ship with two red sails. My brother and I had gone to the head of a…” quote by Scott O'Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/scott-o-dell-44353_morning-mist_i-remember-the-day-the-aleut-ship-came-t_3198738.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/scott-o-dell-44353_morning-mist_i-remember-the-day-the-aleut-ship-came-t_3198738.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/scott-o-dell-44353_morning-mist_i-remember-the-day-the-aleut-ship-came-t_3198738.jpg) > ““I REMEMBER the day the Aleut ship came to our island. At first it seemed like a small shell afloat on the sea. Then it grew larger and was a gull with folded wings. At last in the rising sun it became what it really was—a red ship with two red sails. My brother and I had gone to the head of a canyon that winds down to a little harbor which is called Coral Cove. We had gone to gather roots that grow there in the spring. My brother Ramo was only a little boy half my age, which was twelve. He was small for one who had lived so many suns and moons, but quick as a cricket. Also foolish as a cricket when he was excited. For this reason and because I wanted him to help me gather roots and not go running off, I said nothing about the shell I saw or the gull with folded wings. I went on digging in the brush with my pointed stick as though nothing at all were happening on the sea. Even when I knew for sure that the gull was a ship with two red sails. But Ramo’s eyes missed little in the world. They were black like a lizard’s and very large and, like the eyes of a lizard, could sometimes look sleepy. This was the time when they saw the most. This was the way they looked now. They were half-closed, like those of a lizard lying on a rock about to flick out its tongue to catch a fly. “The sea is smooth,” Ramo said. “It is a flat stone without any scratches.” My brother liked to pretend that one thing was another. “The sea is not a stone without scratches,” I said. “It is water and no waves.” “To me it is a blue stone,” he said. “And far away on the edge of it is a small cloud which sits on the stone.” “Clouds do not sit on stones. On blue ones or black ones or any kind of stones.” “This one does.” “Not on the sea,” I said. “Dolphins sit there, and gulls, and cormorants, and otter, and whales too, but not clouds.” “It is a whale, maybe.” Ramo was standing on one foot and then the other, watching the ship coming, which he did not know was a ship because he had never seen one. I had never seen one either, but I knew how they looked because I had been told. “While you gaze at the sea,” I said, “I dig roots. And it is I who will eat them and you who will not.” Ramo began to punch at the earth with his stick, but as the ship came closer, its sails showing red through the morning mist, he kept watching it, acting all the time as if he were not. “Have you ever seen a red whale?” he asked. “Yes,” I said, though I never had. “Those I have seen are gray.” “You are very young and have not seen everything that swims in the world.” Ramo picked up a root and was about to drop it into the basket. Suddenly his mouth opened wide and then closed again. “A canoe!” he cried. “A great one, bigger than all of our canoes together. And red!” A canoe or a ship, it did not matter to Ramo. In the very next breath he tossed the root in the air and was gone, crashing through the brush, shouting as he went. I kept on gathering roots, but my hands trembled as I dug in the earth, for I was more excited than my brother. I knew that it was a ship there on the”” [Scott O'Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-o-dell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A child's vivid imagination transforms ordinary observations into fantastical narratives. **In simple terms:** Kids see magic in everyday things. Key Takeaway Encourage imagination. Themes imagination childhood perception Mood wonderful reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - reading to kids - creative play - exploring nature Key Concepts psychology storytelling Questions to Reflect On - How does imagination shape reality? - What can we learn from a child's view? A Different Perspective Adults may dismiss children's insights as naive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aleut Ship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aleut-ship-5930315/) [Gull Ship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gull-ship-5930313/) [Little Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-boy/) [Morning mist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morning-mist/) [Rising Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rising-sun/) [Sea Grew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sea-grew-5930314/) [Ship Came](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ship-came-4093616/) [Whale Asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whale-asked-5930316/) ## Related quotes > [I've never been lucky. The day my ship came in, I was at the airport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/i-ve-never-been-lucky-the-day-my-ship-came-in-i-was-at-the-airport/) [Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/) > [You might be a redneck if you refer to the time you won a free case of oil as the day my ship came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-foxworthy/you-might-be-a-redneck-if-you-refer-to-the-time-you-won-a-free-case/) [Jeff Foxworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-foxworthy/) > [Captain Fisher, the commander, with a party of young ladies from the city and gentlemen belonging to his ship, came one day to pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-slocum/captain-fisher-the-commander-with-a-party-of-young-ladies-from-the/) [Joshua Slocum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-slocum/) > [“My ship came in,then it sank!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-t-shirley/my-ship-came-in-then-it-sank/) [Brian T. Shirley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-t-shirley/) > [“Whether they are part of a home or home is a part of them is not a question children are prepared to answer. Having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-maxwell/whether-they-are-part-of-a-home-or-home-is-a-part-of-them-is-not-a/) [William Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-maxwell/) > [“...careful the morning lest it wake from slumber the city half-encumbered by the morning mist ...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-geddes/careful-the-morning-lest-it-wake-from-slumber-the-city-half/) [John Geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-geddes/) > [“The rays of sun spilled Like coffee into a pot Gently, warmly flowing Almost as an afterthought. The morning dew melted to vapor Rising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-wetch/the-rays-of-sun-spilled-like-coffee-into-a-pot-gently-warmly-flowing/) [Justin Wetch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-wetch/) > [I wish someone else would write a book that clearly and persuasively articulated why women's reproductive rights are so important to this country, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-bloom/i-wish-someone-else-would-write-a-book-that-clearly-and-persuasively/) [Amy Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-bloom/) > [The most wonderful thing in life is to be delirious and the most wonderful kind of delirium is being in love. In the morning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yevgeny-zamyatin/the-most-wonderful-thing-in-life-is-to-be-delirious-and-the-most/) [Yevgeny Zamyatin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yevgeny-zamyatin/) > [“GRATITUDE Opening the back door to make my way towards the swinging bench I walk on the stone path beneath the dripping forest behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luccini-shurod/gratitude-opening-the-back-door-to-make-my-way-towards-the-swinging/) [Luccini Shurod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luccini-shurod/) > [“Elspeth reached up a tentative hand to comfort him, palming the cheek that wasn’t covered with woad. 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To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/say-i-am-you-i-am-dust-particles-in-sunlight-i-am-the-round-sun-to/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Will not the very moment of great disillusionment with my brother or sister be incomparably wholesome for me becuase it so thoroughly teaches me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/will-not-the-very-moment-of-great-disillusionment-with-my-brother-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) ## More by Scott O'Dell > [“For a long time I called it Otter as I had called Rontu, Dog. Then I decided to give the otter a name. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-o-dell/for-a-long-time-i-called-it-otter-as-i-had-called-rontu-dog-then-i/) [Scott O'Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-o-dell/) > [“My brother Ramo was only a little boy half my age, which was twelve. 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But suddenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-o-dell/below-me-rontu-was-running-along-the-cliffs-barking-at-the-screaming/) [Scott O'Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-o-dell/) [Explore all 9 Scott O'Dell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-o-dell/) ## More Morning mist quotes > [Will not the very moment of great disillusionment with my brother or sister be incomparably wholesome for me becuase it so thoroughly teaches me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/will-not-the-very-moment-of-great-disillusionment-with-my-brother-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“...careful the morning lest it wake from slumber the city half-encumbered by the morning mist ...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-geddes/careful-the-morning-lest-it-wake-from-slumber-the-city-half/) [John Geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-geddes/) > [“The rays of sun spilled Like coffee into a pot Gently, warmly flowing Almost as an afterthought. The morning dew melted to vapor Rising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-wetch/the-rays-of-sun-spilled-like-coffee-into-a-pot-gently-warmly-flowing/) [Justin Wetch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-wetch/) > [I took her hand in mine, and we went out of the ruined place; and, as the morning mists had risen long ago when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-took-her-hand-in-mine-and-we-went-out-of-the-ruined-place-and-as/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“Whether they are part of a home or home is a part of them is not a question children are prepared to answer. Having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-maxwell/whether-they-are-part-of-a-home-or-home-is-a-part-of-them-is-not-a/) [William Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-maxwell/) > [“Say I Am You I am dust particles in sunlight. I am the round sun. To the bits of dust I say, Stay. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/say-i-am-you-i-am-dust-particles-in-sunlight-i-am-the-round-sun-to/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [“He couldn't wait to get home from school, to play with Jenny 'till bedtime, when she went to sleep on his bed and both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livi-michael/he-couldn-t-wait-to-get-home-from-school-to-play-with-jenny-till/) [Livi Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livi-michael/) > [“Elspeth reached up a tentative hand to comfort him, palming the cheek that wasn’t covered with woad. He wrapped an arm around her waist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-mason/elspeth-reached-up-a-tentative-hand-to-comfort-him-palming-the-cheek/) [Connie Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-mason/) > [“GRATITUDE Opening the back door to make my way towards the swinging bench I walk on the stone path beneath the dripping forest behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luccini-shurod/gratitude-opening-the-back-door-to-make-my-way-towards-the-swinging/) [Luccini Shurod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luccini-shurod/) > [The most wonderful thing in life is to be delirious and the most wonderful kind of delirium is being in love. 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I loved watching the rusting of the leaves while the dales mellowed to shades…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazel-gaynor/yorkshire-s-autumn-was-as-great-a-gift-as-yorkshire-s-summer-i-loved/) [Hazel Gaynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-gaynor/) > [A country of long shadows on county cricket grounds, warm beer, green suburbs, dog lovers, and old maids cycling to holy communion through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-major/a-country-of-long-shadows-on-county-cricket-grounds-warm-beer-green/) [John Major](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-major/) > [“We are friends," said I, rising and bending over her, as she rose from the bench. "And will continue friends apart," said Estella. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/we-are-friends-said-i-rising-and-bending-over-her-as-she-rose-from/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“At Oreanda they sat on a beach not far from the church, looked down at the sea, and were silent. Yalta was barely visible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/at-oreanda-they-sat-on-a-beach-not-far-from-the-church-looked-down-at/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) [Browse all 45 Morning mist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morning-mist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I REMEMBER the day the Aleut ship came to our island. At first it seemed like a small shell afloat on the sea. Then it grew larger and was a gull with folded wings. At last in the rising sun it became what it really was—a red ship with two red sails. My brother and I had gone to the head of a canyon that winds down to a little harbor which is called Coral Cove. We had gone to gather roots that grow there in the spring. My brother Ramo was only a little boy half my age, which was twelve. He was small for one who had lived so many suns and moons, but quick as a cricket. Also foolish as a cricket when he was excited. For this reason and because I wanted him to help me gather roots and not go running off, I said nothing about the shell I saw or the gull with folded wings. I went on digging in the brush with my pointed stick as though nothing at all were happening on the sea. Even when I knew for sure that the gull was a ship with two red sails. But Ramo’s eyes missed little in the world. They were black like a lizard’s and very large and, like the eyes of a lizard, could sometimes look sleepy. This was the time when they saw the most. This was the way they looked now. They were half-closed, like those of a lizard lying on a rock about to flick out its tongue to catch a fly. “The sea is smooth,” Ramo said. “It is a flat stone without any scratches.” My brother liked to pretend that one thing was another. “The sea is not a stone without scratches,” I said. “It is water and no waves.” “To me it is a blue stone,” he said. “And far away on the edge of it is a small cloud which sits on the stone.” “Clouds do not sit on stones. On blue ones or black ones or any kind of stones.” “This one does.” “Not on the sea,” I said. “Dolphins sit there, and gulls, and cormorants, and otter, and whales too, but not clouds.” “It is a whale, maybe.” Ramo was standing on one foot and then the other, watching the ship coming, which he did not know was a ship because he had never seen one. I had never seen one either, but I knew how they looked because I had been told. “While you gaze at the sea,” I said, “I dig roots. And it is I who will eat them and you who will not.” Ramo began to punch at the earth with his stick, but as the ship came closer, its sails showing red through the morning mist, he kept watching it, acting all the time as if he were not. “Have you ever seen a red whale?” he asked. “Yes,” I said, though I never had. “Those I have seen are gray.” “You are very young and have not seen everything that swims in the world.” Ramo picked up a root and was about to drop it into the basket. Suddenly his mouth opened wide and then closed again. “A canoe!” he cried. “A great one, bigger than all of our canoes together. And red!” A canoe or a ship, it did not matter to Ramo. In the very next breath he tossed the root in the air and was gone, crashing through the brush, shouting as he went. I kept on gathering roots, but my hands trembled as I dug in the earth, for I was more excited than my brother. 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