Geschichtegroßvater sagte mir*
"It was a wintry day in Branau, Upper Austria, 1893 like it says on this medal. The little children playing in the light snow do not notice the rabid wolf is stalking them, homing in on one tow-headed four-year old youngster playing soldier. By chance, Ich bin a'm stoop, I'm cleaning my Mannlicher-Schoenhauer 6mm getting ready to climb after chamois. I hastily assemble it, my hand sure and untroubled and loading a single cartridge I chanced to find in my hunting coat, I drew a bead on -- the little boy. I heard a strange, almost divine voice saying "Schlag weg die wenige Scheiße!"* I staggered, pulled myself together, swung my aim to the wolf, and instantly killed him with the single shot. Immediately the street was full of people -- picking up their yunkers, kissing them and fussing at them, cheering me, and the wife of the customs beamte, bringing little Adolf to me, thanking me profusely. The small boy, didn't seem surprised or scared. I never found out what happened to him. The town gave me a life-saving medal -- this one here."
I loved mein grossvater very much, but I thought that he did not always tell nothing but the truth.
*"Tales my grandfather told me"
**"Blow the little shit away!" |
