other prose
premières
by Gunnar Staalesen
Like a beeto honey
The witch ring
1900 Sunrise
Fallen Angels
Amalie Jensen Blues:the story of the one who
(almost) became my first
girlfriend
of Gunnar Staalesen by Gunnar Staalesen![[ Staffage ]](bilder/prikblaa.gif){kind=small}
![[ Cultural City Bergen ]](bilder/logo50.gif){kind=logo}
|
Excerpt from Hekseringen (The witch ring) 
|
|
The broad and ungainly mass of blue and white catamaran that lay by the quayside reminded one of an abandoned
inflatable beach toy. I followed Sara up the gangway and lagged behind as we entered the lounge, allowing her to
take a seat beside the window on one of the benches, whilst I found a seat outside. She hadn't uttered a word to me
since leaving the flat in Fyllingsdal. This was the first boat out, and there weren't many passengers onboard. Nobody
seemed to take any notice of us. We no doubt looked like any father and daughter. Whilst we waited for the boat to
depart I thumbed through a newspaper and she stared out of the window, silent as a sphinx. Then a rumble erupted
from down below in the beach toy's stomach and it roared into life. Like some enormous mythological oxen the craft
reared up in the sea, its tail lashing at the water behind, and powered out of Vågen with an invisible goddess mounted
on its bow. The goddess herself had dragged on a pair of jeans and remained sitting in the lounge, sulking as she
watched the city glide by and disappear. The Nordnes peninsula vanished behind us like a sinking Atlantis. Further
out between Gravdal and Kvarven the landscape revealed a large gash of white granite that marked the site where
the new marine institute was under construction. Astern, Bergen and its mountains unfolded like a faded picture
postcard. Then we rounded Kvarven and were out amongst the islands. Beneath arched bridges, through narrow
straits, past cabins and old abandoned travel posts, by disused factory buildings and newly erected boathouses, we
zigzagged through the Western Norwegian archipelago toward the open sea, and Sara's home.
Translated by Kevin Reeder
|
|||
|
