Saturday, April 16, 2011

The Boy Who Went After The North Wind


the story opens with a little boy in the 'Stabbur' (Norwegian cottage) talking to his ill mother

he goes and fetches flour -- but the North Wind gusts in -- and the flour disappears
again he buys flour -- and the North Wind whooshes it off
and a third time!
the boy is angry!
he journeys to have words with the North Wind..

but the North Wind denies having any flour
nevertheless, he gives the boy a 'magic blanket' -- one that will, when he says 'cloth, spread yourself!', 'serve up delicious dishes to eat'

on his way home he waxes tired, and stops at an inn
the surly innkeeper harshly turns the boy away -- stating there's not enough food --
'cloth, spread yourself!' calls the child, throwing the blanket on the table --
food springs into existence!
the innkeeper, astonished, hatches a scheme as the boy dozes off
he sneakily swaps the magic blanket for a phony

boy rises in the morning and heads for home..
inside the stabbur, he casts the blanket down 'cloth, spread yourself! '... nothing..

the mother moans, iller than ever
the boy, saddened, sets off again for the North Wind..

he chucks the blanket at the North Wind 'it's a fake!' -- and demands flour
no dice
but the North Wind gives him a magic ram instead --
one that 'produces gold from its butt' when you say 'ram, make money!'

the boy leaves, riding on the ram's back
grows sleepy as the sky darkens, stops at the inn
drunken innkeeper lets him --
right away a demonstration of the ram in action --
pieces of gold shoot from its backside
!!
he must have it
he has a room made ready
the boy falls fast asleep
now's his chance -- shady innkeeper steels the magic ram
finds a similar one out back -- the replacement is made..

boy wakes to a sunny day
sets off for home..

'ram, make money!'.. nothing.. 'ram, make money!'..
a tear slides down the poor sick mother's cheek -- her condition is worsening

the boy is beside himself

another trek..

'North Wind! I demand flour!!'

the North Wind instead gives him a magic stick -- it will protect him --
he just need say 'stick, lay on!'

the boy goes straight to the innkeeper
the innkeeper begins scheming even as he sees the boy approaching

but the boy wastes no time -- 'stick, lay on!' ----
the stick flies into action, beating the innkeeper silly -- and a few drunks at the bar too

'make it stop!' shrieks the innkeeper -- 'here! take your stuff back' -- throws the magic blanket and the real ram at the boy

'stop stick!' yells the boy
and with the blanket and ram
heads for home

they have plenty of food and money!

the mother is happy and heals

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