Some more from mother-in-laws memoirs:
 |
| Anna and the dog Buster. |
"Stories are rarely about people who do no wrong and get on the wrong side of nobody. Stories are mostly about those who are odd in some way, who are exceptional and do the unexpected. Perhaps they are a bit insubordinate, and not so respectful of laws and regulations. Actually, with some people, the unexpected are what to expect! We had a few originals of that sort in our village.
One of them was Magnus, who owned the house where my sister Eva later came to live with her husband. When he was very young he once visited one of those religious meetings with nonconformist preachers who came to preach about sin, shame, punishment and eternal damnation. This one really succeded in frightening his listeners and there were plentiful, since such a meeting was popular entertainment in a small, remote village. Everyone wanted to come se what kind of a speaker he was, if he was funny, silly, or whatever. Anyway, he inspired one of the most harmless, inoffensive persons in the village to come forward, to confess, in anguish, his sins. He told of his sinful life, little things that everyone is guilty of, a mean thought, a nasty word, an angry look or an impertinent thought about some girl. And he finished this extensive confession - that no one found the least exciting - with saying: "and I ask God´s forgivness for al the girls I have seduced". Hearing this, Magnus rose in all his full height and said: " That sin, I will take responsibility for!" And Magnus, he likely kept on sinning all his life!"
 |
| Anna´s brother Tage and father Gustav plowing the barley field. |
No comments:
Post a Comment