"It is morning, early morning." "The cats are still curled up in their corners, the dogs are still resting and the black salty sea is quiet." "It is so quiet that nothing can be heard." "No dog is crouching in his kennel, no fish is drifting in the current, no breathing in people's homes." "I'm going to tell you a story of this desolate place." "Of a time when the villagers gave life to a true hero." "A tiny little boy named" "Jonas." "Not a hero that'd slay dragons or fight against giants, no, a poor boy, who learnt how to become a man whilst staying a child." "A difficult problem, as you can well imagine." "The boy was Jonas Block." "Come." "Jonas' father was the last fisherman in the village." "Quietly." "Day after day, year after year the father would row far out to sea" "to the place where heaven and sea become one." "But the nets were ever more empty and he rarely brought any fish back home." "But he kept his faith and failed to see what everybody in the village already knew." "There hadn't been any fish in the sea for years." "Every morning little Jonas would run to the beach to pick up his father." "And this is where our story begins." "NEVERMORE" "Just one fish today, Helge?" "What do you mean "just one fish"?" "A fish can be a feast." "Imagine what a fine soup you can cook with herbs and potatoes." " That'd be great." " Since when can you cook fish soup?" "I always could." " I'm going to call it Knut." " Who?" " The fish." " The fish is more handsome than Knut, give it another name." "What about Svea, Johannson's daughter?" "No." "Something else." "I haven't checked, but it's got to have a masculine name." "I don't know where to check either." "But he looks a bit like Reverend Ekdahl." " I think I'm going to stick with Ekdahl." " Ekdahl, that'll do." "Let's throw the priest in the pan." "Life is a walk in the dark, on which God alone can find the way." "For God is our shepherd." "And with him we walk every dark path of our life and death." "At times it seems as if we had lost the right path." "Perplexed we stand before a wall of copse and wild creatures." "And copse is called sin and temptation is the cry of the creatures." "And the hour in which we succumb to temptation and the creatures cower to us, we hear all of a sudden Death's fist knocking on our window." "And we hear the beating of our anxious hearts, and we scream in the darkness:" ""Where art thou, Lord?"" "Where?" "Do you have a spare dime in your pocket?" "Our Father, who art in heaven." "Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." "Give us our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those, who trespass against us." "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." "For Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever." "Amen." "Look it's Knut." " How do I look?" " Like a respectable man." "I hope so." "Let's see what comes along." " Hey Block." " Johannson." "Good to see you." "I've heard you asked Heet's son to help you at work?" "That's true." "But the little leach want a fortune." " Have you found anyone?" " But who?" "I was going to ask the Reverend, if he couldn't lend me the crazy Knut." "At least he wouldn't cost me a dime." "If he wouldn't cost anything..." "I thought just to help you out," "that I could be of help." "Your little rascall is still too thin." "Give him another two years and he'll do fine." "I can see that." "Actually I was thinking of an old dog like me." "You were a good fisherman." "You'd better stick with that." "Or ask the trader over there." "Maybe he's got something for you." "Well..." "Thank you then." "You know... you shouldn't take the first thing that comes along." "How do I look?" " Like a respectable man." " See?" "What do you think?" "If you gave a fish enough to eat, how big would it get?" "Such a fish." "Roughly as big as this?" "And if you gave it more, could it grow as big as a horse?" "Depends what you gave it to eat." "A whole pig." "That's huge." "Then maybe we'd have a fish that huge!" "." "But we would need a bigger plate then." "Or we could give him a whole horse." " Or 1 000 horses." " Or 1 0 000." " A million!" "Ten million." " A billion!" "One horse would do." "Yeah, one horse would do." "Come and see the Circus with all of its magical attractions!" "Jonas!" "Jonas!" "Everybody's down on the beach." "It's a feast!" " What's happening?" " Come on!" "It's huge." " They're carving it up." "Let's have a look!" " At what?" "The whale!" "It beached last night." " I must pick up my father!" " But he is already there." "If we don't hurry, it'll be gone." "Svea!" "Svea!" "Svea!" "Where is that whale?" " Your old man out at sea?" " Maybe he's fishing for buttons." "Bastards!" "What's it like to be buried alive?" "Helge!" "Crap-eater!" "Jonas." "If you had seen how they ran away their pockets where stuffed with fear." "We really gave it to them, Jonas." "A Block doesn't let himself get pushed around like cattle!" "Not me and definitely not you!" "It doesn't matter if you're a hero or not, just that you overcome fear." "If someone threatens you, just kick them back to make them realize that you're not to be messed with." " When..." "Why didn't you ask the trader for a job?" "The trader..." "Do I look like a trader?" "Like somebody who would be kept behind a counter and write bills for flour and potatoes?" "No." "That is not my business." "I do not hold the door open for strangers." "But what's wrong with that?" "Do you want me to end up with a hunch?" " No." " Don't you know that all traders have a hunch." "Good evening Mr. Mayor, good evening, Mr. Reverend..." "And on top of that the labelling of this and that, herbs, spices... if I were to pack everybody's basket, roasts would be sweet and coffee salted." "Then at least you would have something for the collection." "In the past my catch was so large that the traders jostled around my nets." "What am I saying..." "the whole beach was silver with fish!" "As if silver heavens had fallen to earth." "I caught them from heaven." "Silver, Jonas, silver!" "Are you asleep?" "Yes." "Have you seen him yet?" "You don't even know who I'm talking about." "Who are you talking about?" "Death." "The Reverend said you never know when he's going to come." "Do you think he comes while we're asleep?" "Helge, have you ever seen Death?" "Luckily not." "And when you see him?" "I'll ask him:" "What makes you think you can jump the queue?" "There's still wealth and women waiting for Helge Block." "Wait until it's your turn, you... you old bastard." "Jonas." "Jonas!" "Helge Block is rowing out again" "and is going to bring down heaven again." "Tomorrow will be a feast." "Make sure that the fire is well stocked." "Imagine all that silver!" "All eyes are waiting for you, Father." "Praise be to you, who gave us the earth." "Praise to the Holy Son, whose word brought us life." "Praise to the Holy Ghost, who united us in the repast of love." "And you open your hand and give to us and take from us, as you see fit." "Amen." "When Knut came to us he was hardly older than you." "His mother had stitched up his mouth so that he couldn't scream." "Now he is taking care of the farm." "Order and work have made him a human being." "We live by God's commandments." "The gates of the vicarage must always stay open." "We don't invite anyone here, but whoever knocks is welcome." "We celebrate the morning with prayer." "At six o'clock we thank God for the day." "After that we have 1 5 minutes to do what we want." "In our chambers of course, as we only go out on market day." "And after that we get to work, Jonas." "Jonas!" "Where do you want to go?" "To the beach." "Come here, my boy." " You have always been a help to your father." " Yes." "And you are a brave boy." "And although you're still a child" "I have to talk to you as if you were a man." "There's no one waiting for you on the beach anymore." "That's not true!" " That's not true!" " It is as it is." "No!" "It's painful and burns." "But the pain is not your enemy." "It is proof of the mercy of the Lord." "Sometimes it hurts to be touched by the hand of God." "Cattle is cattle." "You got to hit it that the brain splashes out of the snout." "Treat it well and it's off." "It's like me." "You got to beat me black and blue to get me going." "You know how to milk, don't you?" "Cheers!" "This is the parlour." "Come in." " Do you belong to the Reverend?" " Ach." "I'm the son of a whore." "My old man used to say I'm so ugly, I could make a fortune out of it." "When you're broken in, I'm out of here with the circus." "What are you staring at?" "Let's go, those tits are bursting." "You are a little galoot, aren't you?" "Look at your spindly arms." "Are you sure you're not a girl?" "I wonder what they taught you." "I wouldn't keep you a day." "I hope your old man taught you how to fish at least." "Well he couldn't have been able to teach you much." "At least you can milk crap now!" "Jonas!" "Helge, Helge..." "Helge!" "Dream or reality?" "Fantasy or disdainful truth?" "Attractions, sensations, true wonders and artistry, as never seen before." "The world is turned upside down." "You'll be left gasping for breath, when Master Grido opens his doors." "Let me introduce to you:" "The Beheaded Man!" "Now he's wearing a box on his shoulders, but wait until tonight." "You won't believe your eyes." "Take a look at Samuel The Fakir, brought to us by oriental winds." "That's gonna be my world." "I swear to you." "From the village fool to the circus clown." " What about Ekdahl?" " What do I care?" "What does he care about me?" "Now that he owns you." "Marvel at Radam, the one with the magic hand." "Some say he's 200 years old." "Let yourself be touched by him and be amazed!" "Witness the highlight of the evening." "The magical shadow theatre of Master Grido." "But beware!" "Nothing will be the same as before." "Give the boy some soup." "He's too afraid to ask." "One would think that a boy, who has worked hard in the barn, would feel hungry." "Or haven't you worked in the barn?" "If not, where were you then?" "In my room." "In your room?" "These showmen are a dangerous brood." "Wherever they come people go mad." "Their wagons used to be travelling gallows." "They would hang the innocent" "and take their children away." "I don't believe that." "And I don't believe you." "Here comes the good milk." "From our own goats." "This will wet your appetite." " Take some." " It smells like crap." "In this house we show respect for our daily blessings." " Drink the milk!" " No!" "You will learn to show respect." " Where have you been today?" " To the beach." "You won't lie anymore." "Promise!" "I promise." "Kiss my hand." "I think this is yours." "Your father's fraud is a deadly sin." "Not the deed of a respectable man." "Deadbeats!" "Are you cheating at me?" "Come on." "Let's go!" " Come on!" " And that?" "What's that on your costume?" "You're a lousy bunch." "If only I had invested in beasts of pray." " Don't do that." " I could have been save of this nonsense." "I am always the one to blame." "Don't look so sheepish!" "It's a mess, an absolute razzledazzle!" "When I catch the worm who has caused all this chaos!" "I can't tell my story when everything is spoiled." "That's the master." "Go on." "What are you waiting for?" "What?" " Go on." " Where is the boy?" "What have the Sirens got to do with Death?" "And the old Fisherman?" "Completely crinkled!" "What a stress!" "It's impossible to finish the Fisherman by this evening!" "How should I know what figure belongs to which?" "It's so embarrassing to lose the puppets!" "We look like a bunch of idiots!" "You spongy incarnation of a black pudding!" "Can you tell me where it is?" "Or you idiot!" "Do you know?" "Don't ever sneak up on me again!" "I hate it!" "I'm sorry!" "That happens when you mix with dilettantes." "Artists like us know the agony." "Move a little." "Bloody Hell!" "Wait a second." "Master Grido." "What is that?" "Those are the Fat Berta's nail clippers." "And I'm gonna keep them." "To punish her for messing up my stuff." "No." "I meant that, behind the door." "Behind the door?" "Nothing special." "Just a lousy trick." "But that was more than a lousy trick." "Was it more?" "Maybe... and maybe not." "I believe you should really see our performance." "Have you seen that, as he opened the door?" "Seen what?" "What was there to see?" "In a junk room." "Well, nothing special." "Just a bit of magic." "Don't you run away!" "Jonas." "Can you guess why I called for you at this late hour?" "I've called for you to confess something to you." "I have forsworn God and sold myself to the circus." "I am going to serve as a medium for the Dead." "Does this story sound familiar?" "No." "Knut." "What did Jonas tell you?" "That, Reverend." "And that you ripped out Agda's tongue and that you speak with ghosts at night." "He told..." "Jonas." "Do you know what one used to do to liars?" "One would dig a hole and threw them down." "If they didn't die straight away one would wait until the rats ate their feet." "Have you ever seen a body maimed by rats?" "No." "Do you insist that Knut's a liar?" "I didn't say that." "Perhaps he doesn't know the difference between lies and the truth." "Do you think you can lie with impunity?" "Give false testimony just like that?" "Do you believe that you'll get away with that?" "I do believe that the Reverend hates me." "So?" "Than I'll have to... do something terrible to you." "I'll have to free you from your enemy." "I don't hate you." "I love you." "I love you more than you deserve." "Here." "Look at my hand." "It's a loving hand." "Even if it has to punish you it's not in hate." "The hand of hate is a clenched fist, but my hand will always remain open for you." "Do you understand?" "Yes." "Bravo!" "I think we've reached a point where you can take a big step." "It's the moment of your confession." "What am I to confess?" "I assume you know exactly what." "I confess that I made up the story  that the Reverend has forsworn the Lord  that the Reverend has forsworn the Lord" "and that he ripped out Agda's tongue." "Very good." "And now that you've overcome your inner struggle, you may choose your punishment yourself." "What do you think?" "How many strokes do you deserve?" "Five?" "Seven?" "Take off you shirt!" "Our Father, who art in Heaven." "Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." "Give us our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." "Someone ride this horse!" "Ladies and Gentlemen!" "Allow me to delight you with a little taster of my theatre." "Music!" "There was once a little boy who lived with his father in a hut by the sea." "And although they didn't own a lot they were living a happy life." "And the old fisherman would tell of better times." "When the sea was still full of fish." "The old man had a secret dream." "Before Death would come to him he wanted to make a big catch." "Wanted to reach out to heaven and bring back silver for his son." "One night while his boy was sleeping, the father heard a strange voice." "Follow me and I'll take you to a wonderful place." "A place where heaven and sea become one." "So the father snuck out of his room and found the boy sleeping." "Tomorrow is going to be a feast, he whispered and followed the Siren deep into the night and out to sea." "The boy waited for many days, he didn't know what to do." "For the father wouldn't return." "So the boy swore to himself never to smile again and not to believe in dreams." "Because if he'd believe only in reality from now on, he'd never be disappointed again." "So he thought and lost his smile." "Only didn't he know that without his smile and without his dreams the wonderful place, where heaven and sea become one slowly faded away." "But there was a powerful sorcerer who had heard of this dreadful occurrence." "This sorcerer was procurator of dreams." "He knew of a secret door." "And as the boy opened his eyes he saw that wonderful place and won his dreams back." "He saw his father in the middle of a silver sea." "From now on he didn't need the sorcerer nor the door anymore." "Because whenever he wanted to find the place where heaven and sea become one, all he had to do was close his eyes and smile." "And so he lived on happily with a smile on his face and dreams in his heart." "It's about me and Helge." "Did you like it?" "Thank you." "I miss him so much." "Can't you let me go through the door?" "What you saw behind that door" "is the world of memories." "Here." "You can meet Helge there whenever you want to." "Whenever" "Helge went out, he would wear the jacket with the golden buttons." "He always used to ask me:" "How do I look?" "And I would always answer:" "Like a respectable man." "Now he's out there." "And this is where our story of little Jonas comes to an end." "Sometimes it's hard to say farewell." "But sometimes a farewell is not a farewell, but the seed of a future reunion." "Who knows?" "And who can always separate fantasy from reality?" "Master Grido, Master Grido!" "At last!" "And I thought you were going to mess up the end of my tale." "Hurry, hurry!" "We're late!" "The next audience is waiting!"