Trafika Europe 6 - Arabesque

the physics of sorrow

the bread of sorrow The Sorcerer

And then a sorcerer grabbed the cap off my head, stuck his finger straight through it and made a hole about yea big. I started bawling, how could I go home with my cap torn like that? He laughed, blew on it, and marvel of marvels, it was good as new. Now that ’s one mighty powerful sorcerer. Come on, Grandpa, that was a magician, I hear myself say. Back then they were sorcerers, my grandfather says, later they became magicians. But I’m already there, twelve years old, the year must be 1925. There’s the fiver I’m clutching in my hand, sweaty, I can feel its edge. For the

first time I’m alone at the fair and with money to boot. Step right up, ladies and gents... See the fearsome python, ten feet long from head to tail, and as long again from tail to head... Daaang, what ’s this twenty- foot-long snake?... Hang on there you, where do you think you’re going, you owe me a fiver... Well, I only got five and I’m not gonna waste it on some snake... Across the way they ’re selling pomades, medicinal clay, and hair dyes. Dy y y y y y y e f o r you r ringletsssss, brains for your nitwitssss... And who is that guy with

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