The fiddly fiddle

Story by Marie-Luise Thös, MSS 13

He, the greatest, most marvelous fiddle player had a difficult time with his best friend, the fiddle. Both had seen sun and rain, wind and storm. Even if they had suffered all the years, the fiddle and the fiddler still had mesmerized and hypnotized the crowds of old, young, rich and poor.
But not today. The fiddle had started to retaliate. In a subtle manner, it had began to stop playing the right tones even though the fiddler had corrected the strings beforehand.
After endless fails and many dispersed crowds scared off by the gruesome play, the fiddler thought:
„Maybe it is time to buy a new comrade“ and went to an instrument seller.
First, the fiddler sold his fiddle with a heavy heart, and bought a new one. He was enraged by the horrendous price of one small fiddle but was pleased in the end.
He, the wonderful and most beautiful fiddler, started playing again.

This time was different yet again.

What the fiddler wanted to play, the fiddle did not. All sorts of music and compositions escaped the instrument’s body but the fiddler’s own invention.
Furious, he threw the fiddle on his bed and screamed at her.
Why do you not follow my command? Why do you play something totally different than me? Why did I waste my money on you?
He screamed, shouted and destroyed everything. Except for the fiddle. The one thing that he loved.
„But do you really love me?“ asked the fiddle.
Scared, the fiddler made space.
„Are you sure it is me you adore, miss and want to play?“
The fiddle began to tell him, that the music the fiddler wanted to play did not suit her. She was young, fresh and wanted to try everything. She was not suited for solely the songs of one person. The fiddler, understanding of the feeling of youth and freedom, asked: „But why did my old fiddle never complain?“
„Because she loved you, but you did not hear. Because she needed you, but you did not hear.“
After talking for two days and two nights, the fiddler and the fiddle returned to the instrument seller. There, displayed in the window, lay his fiddle. Polished and shiny, a star was a rock in comparison.
The fiddler sold the other fiddle and bought his fiddle. He did not complain about the price that was higher than that of the new fiddle, and went home with his old companion.
The fiddler carefully laid down his fiddle on his bed. He caressed it and said:
„I apologize. For my sins and wrongdoings I have commited. For my ignorance and selfishness. For I forgot that you were also part of me and my music. Forgive me. I will never play again, if it is not with you.“
Then, when he started playing, the music, his composition, poured out of the instrument like the breeze of the wind. Subtle, but strong.
„For I was mute, I could not tell you my sorrows. But now, that we are reunited, we shall play the most beautiful and marvellous songs again.“
Relieved, the fiddler began to cry and hugged his fiddle. Because without his fiddle, his music would be nothing, could not form its wonderful tune.

For years to come, until the fiddler’s and fiddle’s death, they amused and brought happiness to all who listened to their harmony.

Vocabulary Help:

1. fiddly = knifflig
2. the fiddle = die Geige
3. to suffer = leiden, erdulden
4. mesmerize = bezaubern, faszinieren
5. to retaliate = sich rächen, etw. vergelten
6. subtle = subtil, unterschwellig
7. dispersed = zerstreut
8. to enrage = jmdn. rasend/wütend machen
9. compositions = Kompositionen (hier musikalischer Natur)
10. suited = entsprechend, geeignet, passend
11. sorrow = das Bedauern, der Kummer