Trafika Europe 14 - Italian Piazza

Lawrence Millman

Soon came a cry from the boat urging the men back. The seas were growing quite rough, and it was necessary to pul l away from the skerry right away. The men boarded the boat, al l but Thorgeir. He was sti l l busi ly breaking birds’ necks. They cal led after him again and again, making trumpets out of their hands, but so intent was he on his work that he didn’t hear them. At last they were obl iged to leave without him. “Oars out!” yel led Thorolf Twist-Foot to the rest of the crew, adding: “Either he remains behind, or we al l remain behind. But he i s very resourceful , thi s redhead. He wi l l eat auks and scurvy grass unti l we return.” One of the other men laughed. “I have seen lovewort on the skerry as wel l. Maybe the boy wi l l have bedded down a bird or two by the time we come back…” They took the matter rather l ightly. Since it was summer, they did not expect Thorgeir to be stranded for more than a few days. But those days turned to weeks when howl ing storms released such a rage on the sea that no boat could be sent to retrieve the boy. Gudrun could find no sign the reading of which might tel l whether her son sti l l dwel led among the l iving. Long hours she would stand by the shore and tear at her hair. Then with the first snows she retired to her

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