We Szekelys have a right to be proud, for in our veins flows the blood of many brave races who fought as the lion fights, for lordship. Here, in the whirlpool of European races, the Ugric tribe bore down from Iceland the fighting spirit which Thor and Wodin gave them, which their Berserkers displayed to such fell intent on the seaboards of Europe, aye, and of Asia and Africa too, till the peoples thought that the werewolves themselves had come.
Phew, not from Finland.
Am listening to Dracula while endeavoring on with quilting. I feel a bit like I’m cheating here, listening instead of reading. I promised myself that if I couldn’t pay enough attention I would give it up. I have a link provided by the course’s syllabus to an online copy of the book and have used it to look up a few words already, as well as to provide the quote above.
Mainly, I am intrigued with how riveting it is to listen to it. A few times I’ve backed up a few minutes thinking I might have wandered off, but it’s going very well I think. When push comes to shove, isn’t that what story telling is really about – the story – and not whether the words lie on the page or the air?
“Welcome to my house! Enter freely and of your own free will!” He made no motion of stepping to meet me, but stood like a statue, as though his gesture of welcome had fixed him into stone. … Again he said.
“Welcome to my house! Enter freely. Go safely, and leave something of the happiness you bring!”
