Chapter 7

Residents of the City of Myths suffer from the constant spell of black magic. One consequence of this is their fear of black cats. If one sets out on his travel and crosses a black cat, he immediately turns around, goes home, and studies the stars for a more suitable time. And since there are many black cats in the city, the residents accidentally become very good astronomers. Another consequence is that they also don’t believe in death. When someone gets to the end of his life, his family leaves him in the ground for a three winters then they bring him back up. If he still shows no sign of life, which is always the case, they apologize for waking him. He is subsequently relocated so he may rest more comfortably. Every now and then, his family sends him clothes, money, and his favorite food, as if he had simply gone on a long trip. And to make sure he isn’t lonely, they say his name sometimes, talk about him, and find him in the trees, in the fields, or in a corner of their home. For the residents, life is simple. Everyone is encouraged at a young age to be strong and brave. The few who retreat from their destiny are turned into boats and placed at the harbor. And since their furled sails are made of marble, they become motionless and can only long for the sea.

Jun. 2017