Trafika Europe 1 - Northern Idyll

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.

65