A story
Each month I post on this blog the story (from my Author's Den web site) that received the most hits. This month it was...drum roll...please...
Different Worlds
My Icelandic-Canadian grandparents differed both in physique and in personality. My amma (grandmother) was a dainty slip of a woman. She sang like a meadowlark and spoke in a whisper. She was a mistress of domesticity. Her talents were limitless: her thumb was green, her house immaculate, her meals mouth-watering, and she could craft straw into gold.
My afi (grandfather) was a big bear of a man. He thundered, he roared, but it was all in jest. He was gregarious, by nature.
Afi loved to belt out Icelandic folk songs. In one these songs, I heard him repeat a familiar name. "Olafur," he sang. That was Afi's name. Was he singing his song? I wondered.
"Can you translate the song for me, Afi?" I asked.
"I'm not sure your amma would approve elskan (love)," he said. Amma had forbidden Afi to share Icelandic folklore with me. For you see, my creative mind used his stories to torment me.
"Please, Afi, Amma went to town and she won't back for a while," I begged. I continued to beg until he reluctantly gave in.
"Olafur's song has been passed down from voice to voice in our family for generations," Afi seated in his rocking chair rocked to the beat of his words, "Olafur charmed all women. They couldn't resist him. They dreamed about him. Many people tried to warn Olafur to be careful. They told him he was just too handsome and that that was dangerous. Stubbornly, Olafur refused to heed their warnings. He continued to hike over the Icelandic countryside."
"Even into the land of the huldufok?" I asked. Afi had told me about the huldufok. They were a race of invisible people. Occasionally huldufok would fall in love with humans and lure them into their world.
"Yes, elsken, even into huldufolk land," he confirmed.
"Why was he so foolish?" I asked.
"He had to. He was a shepherd, he had to follow his sheep," Afi told me. "One day, when Olafur was hiking he passed by a waterfall. Through the mist of the falls, he saw a fair maiden. She was standing there, washing as the water coursed over he naked body. Olafur feasted his eyes. She was so beautiful that he fell under her spell. Well, it wasn't long before the maiden realized she had an audience. She was pleased, for you see she was a huldufolk. She and her sisters had set the trap for Olafur."
"Did they catch him?" I asked.
"Yes," Afi said.
"Did Olafur ever escape?" I asked.
"No, and I hope he never does," Afi's reply puzzled me.
So deep in thought was I that I didn't hear the back door open.
"Amma's home," Afi announced and we went to greet her. Afi kissed her. That magical kiss transformed Amma. Through it, her identity was finally revealed. She was that beautiful huldufolk lady.
(c)ldyck '09
Different Worlds
My Icelandic-Canadian grandparents differed both in physique and in personality. My amma (grandmother) was a dainty slip of a woman. She sang like a meadowlark and spoke in a whisper. She was a mistress of domesticity. Her talents were limitless: her thumb was green, her house immaculate, her meals mouth-watering, and she could craft straw into gold.
My afi (grandfather) was a big bear of a man. He thundered, he roared, but it was all in jest. He was gregarious, by nature.
Afi loved to belt out Icelandic folk songs. In one these songs, I heard him repeat a familiar name. "Olafur," he sang. That was Afi's name. Was he singing his song? I wondered.
"Can you translate the song for me, Afi?" I asked.
"I'm not sure your amma would approve elskan (love)," he said. Amma had forbidden Afi to share Icelandic folklore with me. For you see, my creative mind used his stories to torment me.
"Please, Afi, Amma went to town and she won't back for a while," I begged. I continued to beg until he reluctantly gave in.
"Olafur's song has been passed down from voice to voice in our family for generations," Afi seated in his rocking chair rocked to the beat of his words, "Olafur charmed all women. They couldn't resist him. They dreamed about him. Many people tried to warn Olafur to be careful. They told him he was just too handsome and that that was dangerous. Stubbornly, Olafur refused to heed their warnings. He continued to hike over the Icelandic countryside."
"Even into the land of the huldufok?" I asked. Afi had told me about the huldufok. They were a race of invisible people. Occasionally huldufok would fall in love with humans and lure them into their world.
"Yes, elsken, even into huldufolk land," he confirmed.
"Why was he so foolish?" I asked.
"He had to. He was a shepherd, he had to follow his sheep," Afi told me. "One day, when Olafur was hiking he passed by a waterfall. Through the mist of the falls, he saw a fair maiden. She was standing there, washing as the water coursed over he naked body. Olafur feasted his eyes. She was so beautiful that he fell under her spell. Well, it wasn't long before the maiden realized she had an audience. She was pleased, for you see she was a huldufolk. She and her sisters had set the trap for Olafur."
"Did they catch him?" I asked.
"Yes," Afi said.
"Did Olafur ever escape?" I asked.
"No, and I hope he never does," Afi's reply puzzled me.
So deep in thought was I that I didn't hear the back door open.
"Amma's home," Afi announced and we went to greet her. Afi kissed her. That magical kiss transformed Amma. Through it, her identity was finally revealed. She was that beautiful huldufolk lady.
(c)ldyck '09
posted by Author Leanne Dyck at 2:51 PM
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