Screen capture of photo sphere by Oskar W. Kristensen
He’d said a lot of things while we were growing up.
He’d told us men were born of trees, and that the world had ended five times since Musepell. Once in ice, once in plague, once in wind, and twice in fire. We’d thought him proud and more than just a little mad.
“You’re never beaten,” he’d say, when we’d whine about losing. He’d pound his fist on the table. “Du er norsk.”
And then the cruise in my fiftieth year: Grandfather was long in his grave, so far from his homeland. We crossed the ocean, to finally see the land he’d spoken of. A land of ghosts and giants and trolls, of winter-long night—where the resurrection god danced light upon a glacier-frayed shoreline, where the undefeatable city rose anew from ash and loss.
And now that I’ve seen Hammerfest, I’d have to say: the old man was right.
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150 words
This has been an edition of What Pegman Saw. This week’s location was suggested by Alicia over at Up From the Ashes. To read more flash fiction inspired by the prompt or to submit your own, click the froggy button:
k. Rawson 
Dear Karen,
I loved the feeling of familial connection and pride. I could just hear and see Grandfather regaling them with his stories. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Fantastic story. The old man is captured so succinctly, and the emotional tone is superb.
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Ah you’re very kind. This was a bugger to write. I knew nothing about Norway and found myself having to do a bunch of research before finding a story that would speak to me.
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Such an amazing story. It is hard to believe it is fiction, such stark realism.
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The main character in the YA novel I’ve been writing for the last one-thousand years is a Norwegian immigrant. I spent months researching the Norwegian gods and goddess, norns, and trolls, the Yggdrasil tree, and the end of the world – old Norwegian style. Your story brought up memories of all that and more. Well done.
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Thanks Alicia! I have been working on my current YA book for almost a thousand years, so I can relate 😉
Norway has some epic lore for sure. The Yggdrasil tree was my favorite. Thanks for reading.
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The research paid off, captures the land of myths and legends perfectly. Well done.
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Thanks Iain. Not sure I got where I meant to but I definitely know a lot more about Norway!
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Enjoyed that little story. 🙂 ❤
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I loved the experience you gave us -= and felt the satisfaction of visiting at the end.
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Very kind of you! Thanks for reading 🙂
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my pleasure – and with the language added – it was extra culture rich!
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