Spring water

At the foot of the mountain (Skt. Nikolaj) was a drinking trough. The horses that went around freely in the fenced meadow, drank from it. It always overflowed because it came from a natural spring which sprang from the mountain side. The water rippled through the grass via a simple pipe and ran into the trough.

Leaves, flowers, insects, a drowned mouse and other things flowed on the surface. All in constant lazy motion because of the eternal water supply. The meadow was lush and filled with a carpet of glistening yellow globeflowers and other flowers. There were many lapwings, gulls and larks, and near the trough, one would soon spot a wet frog. Oddly enough, never a stork. The conditions were otherwise present. There was often a cluster of sparrows and blackbirds using the trough as their waterpark. They enjoyed blowing themselves up and shaking water at each other while constantly greeting and nodding politely.

The children drank straight from the source, when they were thirsty. Even on a hot summer day, the water was cold and refreshing. It was a time when time itself did not intend to pass. While the kids were there with bare knees in the damp grass and shaped hands, so the water could flow into the mouth and down their cheeks and chins, they felt it did not track tantalizing. Just normal and natural.

But being visited by relatives from the big cities was tantalizing. Their fine clothes and their different scents, their careless relationship with money and the consequent opportunity to score lollies, an ice boat or a cake from the bakery, were welcoming features in the children's life.

Many years later, the place is still recognizable, albeit slightly alienated. The roads and trails are named, cottages replaced the horses, globeflowers and lapwings are a rarities. The city has changed appearance due to beautiful restorations and new, well-built permanent residences, and the old bridge over the fjord, with the red-painted iron railings, is gone. The same is all the shops. 

There was probably no money or not enough money in the conditions as they were.