The Gnome Who Remembers Everything
There are people who remember some things.
And then there is Frau Erinnerlich.
In Zwergenbach, Frau Erinnerlich is the guardian of traditions, the village’s living memory, and an official adviser on important matters.
She lives in a little cottage that contains more books, keepsakes, and boxes than square feet. She knows all the songs, sayings, proverbs, and stories of Zwergenbach, and she has attended every Oktoberfest of her life.
And she remembers everything.
She walks slowly, but she remembers quickly.
She knows when to speak and, above all, when to keep quiet.
Her specialty is remembering things that nobody else remembers, telling stories that begin a very long time ago and always end exactly where she intended, and giving advice nobody has asked for.
She also enjoys listening, feast days, and well-told stories.
What she does not like, however, is being rushed, people who think they already know everything, changing things for no reason, or having to repeat herself.
And when someone asks her:
—But why?
Frau Erinnerlich simply smiles.
Because she already knows how the story will end.
—But why?
—Das ist Tradition.
—Who started it?
—Das ist Tradition.
—And what happens if we don’t do it?
—Das wollen wir nicht herausfinden.
