Schläfst du Mutter?; Ruth. Novellen

A nine‑year‑old boy named Peter roams the streets of his town with a slender willow‑bamboo cane, turning ordinary sounds into grand spectacles. The clank of blacksmiths’ hammers becomes a battle of ancient heroes, and the sight of a horse being shod triggers a dark curiosity about pain and rescue. Despite his teacher’s teasing verses, Peter sees himself as a budding philosopher, already forming opinions about God and the world around him.

Leaving the city behind, he wanders across a dust‑covered plain toward a tiny village church, letting his imagination drift between the roles of field marshal, emperor and pirate captain. He measures trees, counts steps, and debates whether an even number should crown him a ruler while an odd one would make him a corsair. Along the way he scoffs at the adult chatter of his Aunt Lina, feeling both alienated from and fascinated by the grown‑up world he is about to inherit.