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Tóvó asked if the disease really did come flying through the
air. His grandfather explained that on Annunciation Day a
ship had come from Denmark, and that the ship had
brought the disease to Tórshavn.
Tóvó had heard of Denmark and he knew that a prince lived
down there. He had even seen the prince when he had
come to Tórshavn on a warship two years ago. Suddenly, he
frowned and asked why the prince would send a ship full of
measles-flies to the Faroes?
Old Tóvó suppressed a smile as he looked into this serious
and lovable boy’s face. He had not been as fond of his own
children as he was of Tóvó. And the boy was so quick-
thinking. The journey from thought to question took no
more time than the blink of an eye. Grandfather knew
about all the dead flies Tóvó kept in the tobacco tin, and
one day he had watched the boy drown one poor creature
in the measuring pot. However, he said nothing, just waited
outside until the deed was done.
Now he explained to Tóvó that, of all the castles in the
world, the measles castle was the hardest to conquer. Only
the cunning prince could sneak through the gate and raise
the victory flag.