Don’t You Hate It?
Running
Don’t you hate it when you finish your first cross-country race,
and you suddenly realize they didn’t mean it literally.
50-Word Story
Charles Delivers The Mail
Littletown mailman Charles Speedy knocks on the door.
“Another package?”
“Fifth one in five days.”
“Are you going to the fair?”
“I plan to.”
“Perhaps, I’ll see you there.”
“It’s likely. Small town.”
Belinda Solo watches Charles walk away, then stacks the package on top of the other unopened packages.
Story
Värmland Is Blue And So Am I
-1928-
In the Scandinavian country of Sweden, there exists a fantastic place. A place unlike any other on Earth. This place is called Värmland. Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I simply would not believe it exists.
I hesitate to reveal my discovery for fear it will lead to a rush of travelers, overwhelming this unspoiled mecca for tourists. But I am duty-bound by my paper to report my findings. And having grown accustomed to having a steady income I fear I must reveal its secrets.
Värmland is blue. Blue mountains of many shades surround blue fields of blue vegetation, which abut deep blue lakes. Even the rapids in the blue streams bubble a blue-tinted froth of white. All the buildings in Värmland are painted white. Värmland has a color palette of varying shades of blue speckled with white.
Animals are all white. White rabbits eat blue carrots while white squirrels eat blue acorns. All birds are bluebirds, and feast on blue seeds.
Blueberry pie is the only pie available at local inns.
How is this possible? Residents were hesitant to reveal Värmland’s secrets. And rightfully so. Undeterred, and using camouflage and subterfuge, this reporter discovered the truth of the matter.
I purchased a complete set of blue clothing and covered my skin with blueberry pie filling. Then under the cover of a midnight blue sky, I laid hidden in a field of tall bluegrass near the Blue River.
As the sun rose the great mystery was revealed. Several women in brightly colored skirts, red vests, and plain white blouses appeared. They were all blonde as is common in this part of the world. Their heads were covered with unusual bonnets. In their arms were unusually long bugle-like instruments.
They lined up along the shore of the Blue River and raised their instruments. No sound came out. In fact, I quickly discovered they were not musical instruments at all but were funnels. The women began inhaling and streams of color flowed through the sky like floating rainbows and were pulled into their funnels. They were literally sucking the color out of surrounding land, leaving only blue.
I was in awe. I had to know how this was possible so I rose from my hiding place and approached one of the women. She saw me and her eyes grew large. Then she began to weep. Other women noticed, and they also began to weep.
I asked her why she was weeping and she told me the sad tale. Thousands of years ago, a great a wizard cast a spell on the land of Värmland. His horse had frozen to death during a mighty snowstorm. And in his anger, the wizard cast a spell that made the land hot. The name Värmland means “heat land” in Swedish.
Heat began melting the snow and ice and the lands started flooding. People begged the wizard for mercy, for their homes and fields would soon be underwater. The wizard took pity on them. He then took the eldest woman in the village aside and told her what she must do. Since that day, all the unmarried women of the village have met at the shore on the first morning of the week to pull the heat out of the air with their funnels. They call the act “the pulling.”
The act of pulling the heat from the air also pulls all the color from the land. With the exception of blue. A cruelty the wizard added as a reminder of the spell. He also told the woman that no man could see the pulling or the spell would be broken and they would lose the lands to rising waters.
Finally, he said the spell would last for 100 years. After which the heat would stop and the danger of flooding would end. Although they would be free to continue the ritual if they chose to retain the blueness of the land.
Over 2900 years have passed since the spell ended, and as the wizard predicted, the people grew to love the blueness of Värmland. So the unmarried women have continued the ritual. Until now.
I fear I have done a great disservice to this land in my attempt to learn its secrets. I shall forever carry that guilt.
I asked the woman what would happen to the land. She said the land would slowly regain its natural color. It was apparent her heart was broken. I took that opportunity to make my departure. Before the town’s men with pitchforks learned what I had done.
I do not know how long the blue will take to fade. But if you want to see a still blue Värmland, you would be wise not to delay.
Happy Monday. - Mark
This week's edition is wonderful, Mark. I especially enjoyed Värmland Is Blue And So Am I.