The wonderful Anya Guinzbourg wrote this great short story in Krakow and we felt is was worth sharing. Thank you Anya! 🙂
The Horseman of Krakow by Anya Guinzbourg
Once upon a time, there was a man named Henry, and he lived in a Zara department store, which was a part of the famous Krakow marketplace. He spent his days roaming the empty aisles of the trendy department store, hoping that one day, he could afford a shirt. The shirt was a beautiful piece, made of the finest pure white silk, polished by the Polish themselves. The shirt was special, for it was covered in blue pigeons, and represented freedom and power. However, Henry was a poor man, as his family spent their inheritance and savings on alcohol.
One day, Henry was making his rounds through Zara, sniffing past the women’s section in search for loose change, all the while humming his favourite Jewish folk music. As he strutted past the baggy pants that were considered “cool”, an old man walked by him, and complimented him on his singing. He told Henry that his singing was so good, he could land a record deal with the most polished musicians in all of Poland, he only had to come with the old man.
The man was wearing a striped shirt, brown khakis and a beret, and he seemed like a man to be trusted. So, Henry decided to follow the man outside of the Zara department store, and onto the streets of Krakow. They walked and walked, and kept on walking until Henry’s legs finally gave out. As he fell to the ground, he felt something mushy cushion his fall. As he turned his head, he saw that he had in fact, tripped over a pile of horse fecal matter. At that moment, Henry knew his life had really hit its lowest point.
As he lifted his head to cry out to the heavens, he noticed a bright twinkle in the corner of his eye. He looked up, and saw a majestic stallion. It was brown with a pure white stripe, and a nose as black as night. It trotted towards Henry, and he held his breath, captivated by the beauty of the horse. As it got closer, he heard a voice in his head, a deep voice which sounded like it could be the horse’s. It told him that he had no chance in ever succeeding as an artist in Poland, that he would end up poor on the streets like his parents. But, if the man decided to trade his head, he would end up a god, and rule over all the lands, playing music for all and spreading love and equality.
Henry pondered long and hard on his decision, and he decided that he did not want to spend his life on the streets of Poland, no matter how many beautiful pigeons passed him by. As well, if he became a god, he could finally afford the beautiful shirt from Zara that was probably made in China anyways. He walked up to the horse, and it placed its hoof upon his head. Henry felt dizzy, as if his head was stuck in a tornado. After spinning around for a few seconds, Henry passed out.
When he came to, he saw that he was back in his pile of clothes which he used as a bed in the Zara department store. He tried to lift his head, but it was much heavier than he was used to. He stood up and walked to the nearest washroom to brush his teeth, but almost fainted again at the sight that was in front of him. Below his neck, everything was the same, however instead of seeing his regular face, he saw the head of the stallion that he met the day before. He was shocked, and he came to realize that the horse had tricked him. It had in fact cursed him to be stuck as half-human and half-horse for the rest of his life, with no way of reversing the curse.
As people began to enter Zara, they were horrified by the sight that beheld them, and Henry was forced to leave his home in the department store. He sold the rest of his savings and bought an electric piano, and found an empty spot by an alcohol shop in an alleyway in Krakow. Everyday, he played his favourite Jewish folk songs on the electric piano, hoping that one day he’d have enough cash to buy a house, and maybe even the wonderful silky shirt from Zara. But he knew one thing, and it was to never trust a horse that could talk.
The End
Welcome to Eastern Europe 