Christmas in Iceland - 15.12.1940, Qupperneq 31

Gisli goes lo town
or Hoicha in December
Gisli Hogwaschsson is reported to have a
new scheme on foot for developing Esja in
time for Christmas. “I’ve often thought”, he
said pensively in an interview with me yester-
day at his country hide out, “how slow we ’ve
been with that mountain. There’s a swell
piece of lava just crying out for culture and
a spot of night life. And the boys and I have
put our heads together lately and drawn up
a swell scheme for the joint. Haven’t we
boys?” Both Gisli’s yes — men nodded ass-
ent.
“Have a cigar and a swig” said Gisli and
proffered the Black Death and a Corona, I
grew interested. We settled down. “Of course
no scheme is any use” he went on “without
salemanship and advertizing foist. So that’s
the first step. Go big in the town and get your
public”.
“Yes sir! And how! Bring in the wenches,
Al” he said turning to yes-man. No. 1. A1 dis-
appeared and returned in' a few moments
with the goods.
“There you are” said Gisli proudly. “Six of
the best. They truck on down Austurstraeti
led by my swing outfit, Gaf Wordsworth and
his Mountain Music Makers. Of course they
have my banners and a couple of hot chorus-
es to sing. Like to hear em?” And before I
could do much else, the harpies had got going
on:
“You can keep the Nya Bio
And the Gamla Bio too
And as for small town dances
Why, were definitely through.
For we take our pleasure
Each evening on Esja”.
“You don’t think much of it”, said Gisli
rather disappointedly. “O. K., well hear the
second verse. You reelly need a warm spell
CHRISTMAS IN ICELAND
for this but maybe we’ll manage without”.
“Our mama said we were quite sweet,
And sugar daddies say we’re comely wenches,
But though we think they’ve both got
something.
We still don’t care for parks or benches.
For we take our pleasure
Each evening in Esja”.
“How d’ you like it?” said Gisli, lost in his
dreams. “Can’t you picture the whole panor-
ama, winding slowly to the floodlit Laekjar-
torg”. He sighed in anticipation. “But to get
on”.
“I figure on having the first joint about
half-way up — something a bit refined to
begin with, like the Tower at Blackpool or
the Streatham Locarno”.
“You must have a special programme for
the first night, Gisli”, I put in here. “Wont
you tell us all about it?”
“Sure”, he said, “I’ve got that weighed up.
Being as it’s a big event I make a speech that
night, something snappy. I’ll probably get
Gaf to play me on with a verse of my Esja
theme song. You know it? Play it for him Al”.
And the harpies sang again.
“There always be an Esja,
An Esja will be free.
As long as Gisli’s here in town
To float a company”.
“Get’s the atmosphere, you know. Then I
say a few words about how I got on in life-
grey-haired mother on the farm and all that
give ’em my couplet for success: —
“Snap out of that humility
What you want now’s business ability”;
And the show begins.
First scene’s a replica of Thingvellir with
the lake frozen over in the foreground. Al
here and Fifi Hagsdottir come over with a
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