Lögberg-Heimskringla - 08.05.1987, Blaðsíða 3

ALDARAFMÆLISÁR, FÖSTUDAGUR 8. MAÍ 1987-3
His name was Jón and some 100
hears ago his great grandparents had
come from Iceland. They were long
gone before Jón was born. Better
known as Jack, he was a creature of
the second half of the Twentieth Cen-
tury. Success had endowed him with
affluence.
Born at the mid-century point, his
age group were in the era of chang-
ed societal mores. Freed from old
fashioned family responsibilities, he
was as free as the birds. It was the
age of equal rights between the sexes,
and if women wished to be welders,
that was their right.
Jack had heard of Iceland and
decided to pay a visit to the land of
his grandparents, nestling up to the
Arctic Circle. He had always visualiz-
ed Iceland somewhat akin to an
iceberg. The brochure from the travel
agency brought him more into line
with the facts. There it described
Iceland as volcanic, mountainous,
glaciers, numerous rivers, waterfalls,
lush green valleys, thermal heat,
agriculture, and a thriving fishing in-
dustry. Living standards were
described as equal to the best in the
Western World. Included were pic-
tures of beautiful fair-haired damsels,
in hand-knitted woolens. Jack was
satisfied and excited about spending
several weeks in this romantic island
republic of ice and fire where the
beauty of the fair sex had no equal.
Jack decided to take a short course
in Icelandic. He was not aware of the
linguist capabilities of people in
Iceland who become reasonably
familiar with several languages in
passing through the school system.
He soon became a nuisance as he
hounded anyone he thought was
familiar with the language of his
grandparents.
The great day came and the plane
rose into the great blue yonder, set-
ting a north-easterly course. The
group on board were all Western
Icelanders happy to be on their way
for a friendly visit to the land of their
forefathers.
Unfortunately, Jack had not been
told about huldufolk in Iceland. They
were the hidden people who lived in
told about huldufólk in Iceland. They
low-lying hills, knolls, and mounds.
The stories over the centuries de-
scribe them as human in appearance,
but are not visible to the human eye
except at night between the hours of
twilight and dawn, or if they decide
to make themselves visible. They are
reputed to be easily annoyed and
punish human beings with bad luck
curses and plain ordinary pestering.
At other times, if their ire has not
been raised they enjoy harmless, yet
frustrating, trickery.
Jack paid close attention to all
details not wishing to miss any
highlights. He read the calendar of
events closely, noting a bus tour of
Reykjavík was scheduled on the first
day; he was careful to be on time.
After circling around the city, the
Huldufólk
bus tour headed out to the newer sec-
tions which appeared to be a part of
Reykjavík but were described as
separate municipal autonomies. In
Kópavogur the bus halted in front of
a solid rock which left a gap between
the houses on one side of the street.
This, explained the tour guide, is a
home of the Huldufólk and no one
dares to disturb them. If you so much
as think about removing the knoll,
they cast a curse, and unfortunate
things begin to happen. The knoll, he
explained, would probably never be
removed. Jack was not impressed
and visualized in his mind how in
Canada a few diamond drill holes
packed with dynamite could remove
this obstruction and make way for
proper housing.
The Huldufólk are experts in men-
tal telepathy and read Jack's mind. At
first they were angry, but soon
forgave him as he was from afar and
had no reason to know his thoughts
of blowing up the knoll would be just
cause to place a curse on him. They
decided, instead, to play a trick on
Jack.
After supper, Jack lay on his bed in
the hotel room reflecting back on his
first day in Iceland. He was happy;
he had enjoyed the tour and the
mayor’s reception at the end.
Jack could be considered a Yuppy,
the new breed of highly intelligent,
successful, high-income generation.
While not wealthy in the sense of
old fashioned millionaires, they can
be considered as the new rich.
Spawned by the more recently
fashioned society which elect govern-
ments which add to social legislation
in great gobs already so horrendous
that it requires an army of adminis-
trators to unravel the intricacies of
laws and regulations. Every facet of
society has to be considered, for
votes are more important than
deficital waves riding on a rising sea
of debt. This requires experts to ad-
minister and that, in turn, requires
expertise acquired only through
higher education. With higher learn-
ing they become more astute and the
whole gambut of professionals have
managed to conjure up new
legislative ideas for the elected
representatives to implement. While
not organized as such, they un-
consciously have a common motive
— higher income creating the
"nouveau riche."
Jack had never given this any
thought. He was satisfied with life.
No financial worries, no family
responsibilities — just cover your
tracks while appearing circumspect,
efficient, and energetic in your job.
Money was for spending, and only
old people grew old. He had no such
worries, just indulge in the pleasures
of life in the modern, open society.
This the Huldufólk knew well and
carefully planned a trap for Jack to
walk into.
Jack yawned, stretched his arms
and, glancing at his watch, it show-
ed the time had arrived for com-
mencement of nocturnal activity. Six
Huldufólk damsels awaited Jack's ar-
rival in the hotel bar. They were not
visible to the regular customers and
only one to Jack.
Upon entering, Jack spotted the
loner at an isolated table. Sauntering
over he said, 'T am Jack, and you?”
"Hulda”, came the reply.
"May I sit down, he asked?” Of
course, replied Hulda as her false
eyelashes fluttered.
Jack felt obligated to use his Icelan-
dic. After all, he was in Iceland.
Turning to Hulda he said, "egg er
Islandur fra Winnipeg.”
"You speak such good Icelandic; I
am surprised,” said Hulda in perfect
English.
''Viltir thoo drink elskan,” inquired
Jack. "Yes” replied Hulda. ''Kvat
drinkur Þu?", "Vodka and tonic,"
came the reply. ''Egg drink viske
med jokla ice", said Jack.
After further conversation Jack
asked, "Do many of you come here?”
Switching languages on him, Hulda
replied, ''Vid erum sex". Jack missed
the first two words, but the word
”sex” registered clearly, which was
part of the Huldufólk strategy. Not a
man to waste time, Jack suggested
they go up to his room and he could
order drinks sent up. Hulda excused
herself, saying 'Tll be back after
powdering my nose.” Jack waited pa-
tiently, but Hulda did not come back.
They were all six there watching
him, but completely invisible to Jack
and all the cocktaii lounge patrons.
Finally he left for his room. As he
entered the elevator, Hulda and the
other five huldu girls crowded into
the elevator with Jack, still invisible.
Jack felt disappointed and after two
drinks he turned off the T.V. and
retired to his bed. He soon fell into
a deep slumber, oblivious to the real
world. After a long time, he woke up
during a dream, when a Viking was
about to cast a spear at him. Rubbing
his eyes, he rolled over to see the
outline of Hulda beside him in the
darkened room. Shaking off his
slumber he made a motion to grasp
her in his arms, but all he came up
with was empty space, yet he could
see her. He tried again and again and
again, until Hulda said, ”It is no use,
for I am of the Huldufólk and human
beings can only see us in the dark or,
if we so wish, in daylight — but they
cannot feel us. To torture Jack the
other five joined Hulda, all of whom
Jack could see but not feel.
On arriving home his friends
asked, "How was your trip?” Jack
replied, 'T had a hell of a time, but
I am glad to be home, Yippie."
Einar Arnason
LONOON
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