OWL, 2006

Graphite on hand-made paper

31.5 x 23.2 inches

reproduction by Marco Wittkowski

 

"As the siblings went on their way, extremely tired and morose, one day they met an owl sitting on a fir branch with thick glasses and blinking cheerfully into the sun. "What ails you," the bird asked. "Oh, owl," sighed the girl deeply. And then she began to lament her sorrow. And she told of the heavy load that the king and queen had laid upon them, and as a result they had lost the joy of their journey. The owl thought for a moment. "Do you not know that you must avoid the kings and queens of this world? They contradict themselves all the time and no human can follow them. They know only what occurs to their scribbling minions. And this simplicity is great." The owl's glasses seemed to be pressing on her nose, for she scratched herself there. Then she continued, "It is not your way that kings urge, but their own homage. So pay homage to them and say 'yes yes', but then go your way unswervingly. And keep your curiosity for the wonderful and strange things of this world." Then she tucked her head under her wings and began her daily nap."

From: Tales from 1001 Doctorates, "The Fairy Tale of the Long Journey" by Stefan Matysiak, 2006, Klinkhardt Verlag