The Hatlehol Winter Tale

text : Marek Podlaha drawings : Andrea Brambilla

project : Anders Brusen Jensen Asger Skjødt Jacobsen Andrea Brambilla Marek Podlaha Rikke Schønberg Bojesen

printed: 6th February 2016

The Hatlehol Winter Tale

“Don’t forget friends in your

heart” Sirach 37, 6

To friends

close, far, old, new,

bad, good.

That year the winter was colder than usual.

In the snow a young boy was wondering through the mountains.

It was a year that day since he had lost his parents, leaving him alone in this world.

Failing to cope with his loss he was finally told of a spiritual place where a person, that can help him find peace, resides.

As he finally entered this spiritual place he found himself surrounded by a dark and heavy hallway reminding him of challenges of the past year.

However, he was not giving up.

He saw a light that was awaiting at the end of his journey.

He was tired after the entire day in the snow and decided to rest.

There, standing by a window and admiring the harshness of the nature he suddenly found himself surrounded by a Shadow.

“Beware” said the Shadow, “here you will experience all your life’s sorrows, you will wonder around and find disappointment at the end of your journey.

Turn around!”

As the Shadow dissolved, the boy was not swayed.

He knew why he came and he was not turning back even though he felt exposed in a glass hallway because he was surrounded by light.

After a while, he stepped into a long and dark hallway with only small openings for light.

With courage he walked on towards a bright light, a beacon of hope.

“There it is!” the boy thought, “I have found it.”

However, his path was blocked.

What desperation! He sees the end but yet can’t reach it.

“Is it the disappointment the Shadow was talking about?” the boy thought.

“Am I to never find peace?”

Giving up, the boy was ready to return defeated.

As he walked back looking at the yard where he met the Shadow before he saw his own life from a different view.

He has never given up and his parents would never forgive him.

He had to go forth.

He had to make them proud.

After a long struggle he found it.

A secret passage!

Glad for not giving up he found himself in a large light hall from which he could see the end.

He made it!

Last few steps was the only thing separating him from the mystical person.

Last few steps and all his pain would go away. With a smile on his face, he was walking forth when the path sloped and he slid down.

He tried again and the same thing happened. And he tried again and again.

Nothing worked.

With tears and screams he realized he will never reach his goal.

Broken up, he wiped the tears out of his eyes and looked up. He was in a large room reaching to the skies.

But he was not alone. Many others were sitting and sharing their life’s challenges.

And there, in that room, he realized he is at peace.

He managed to defeat his sorrows and not give up. He would have made his parents proud.

Then, the Shadow appeared before him and with a witty voice it said:

“It was you all along.

Only you yourself with a community can find peace, you are the person.”

THE END