Thinking about the past three days, Santiago tells Manolin that they must have a killing lance, that they can make the blade out of spring leaf from an old Ford, and that they can get it in Guanabacoa and have it ground to make it sharp. He also mentions that his knife broke. Manolin says he'll get Santiago another knife and then asks the old man how many days of brisa (breeze) are left. When Santiago tells him three days, the young man says he'll get everything ready, and Santiago only needs to get his hands well. Santiago replies that he knows how to care for the hands but that something broke in his chest. The boy tells him to get his chest well, too.
Manolin says he's going out to get the old man a clean shirt and some food, and Santiago asks for the newspapers for the time he was gone. Manolin again tells the old man to get well, for there is much the old man can teach him, and then asks how much the old man suffered. Santiago replies that he suffered plenty. Manolin says he'll also get the old man some medicine for his hands, and Santiago reminds him to give the marlin's head to Pedrico. As Manolin walks down the road, he cries again.
That afternoon, some tourists at the Terrace see the remains of the marlin — now just so much garbage waiting to go out with the tide — and they ask a waiter what it is. The waiter, trying to explain to the couple what happened to the marlin, says tiburon (shark). Misunderstanding, the tourists remark to one another that they didn't know sharks had such beautiful tails. Back in his shack, with the boy sitting beside him, Santiago sleeps again and dreams of the lions.
