The Passport

WATER HAS NO PEACE

“The owl is injured,” says the night watchman. A cloud-burst on the day of a funeral is too much even for an owl. If it doesn’t see the moon tonight, it won’t ever fly again. If it dies, the water will stink.”

“The owls have no peace, and the water has no peace,” says Windisch. “If it dies, another owl will come to the village. A stupid young owl that doesn’t know anything. It will sit on anyone’s roof.”

The night watchman looks up at the moon. “Then young people will die again,” he says. Windisch sees that the air just in front of him belongs to the night watchman. His voice manages a tired sentence. “Then it will be like the war again,” he says.

“The frogs are croaking in the mill,” says the night watchman.

They make the dog crazy.