- For the comic piece, I've selected the story "Toine," about a man who is so fat and useless that his disgusted wife puts him to work hatching chickens.
A week later she entered Toine's room with her apron full of eggs, and said:
"I've just put the yellow hen on ten eggs. Here are ten for you; try not to break them."
"What do you want?" asked the amazed Toine.
"I want you to hatch them, you lazy creature!" she answered.
I'll probably rename this "The Man Who Hatched Chickens." - I'm down to two for the more tragic story:
- "Regret", about a man who did not pursue his true love because she was already married but learns from her years later that she wished he had.
He walked a long time, as if urged on by some instinct. His clothes were running with water, his hat was out of shape, as soft as a rag, and dripping like a roof. He walked on, straight in front of him. At last, he came to the place where they had lunched on that day so long ago, the recollection of which tortured his heart. He sat down under the leafless trees, and wept. - And "Farewell!" about an old man who runs into the love of his youth, only to find her now fat and unattractive -- just as he is.
At night, alone, at home, I stood in front of the mirror for a long time, a very long time. And I finally remembered what I had been, finally saw in my mind's eye my brown mustache, my black hair and the youthful expression of my face. Now I was old. Farewell!
- "Regret", about a man who did not pursue his true love because she was already married but learns from her years later that she wished he had.
I'll start working on the comic libretto and let these two finalists hatch like the eggs tucked into rolls of Toine's fat.
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