Victoria

Johannes, the fourteen‑year‑old son of a miller, roams the woods, streams and an abandoned quarry with a familiarity that borders on reverence. He knows each bird’s call, every hidden nest, and the way the water slides over the dam as if it were a living thing. His imagination already stretches beyond the valley; he pictures himself diving into coral forests and answering a princess’s invitation from the depths.

When his father summons him to ferry a group of children to an island, Johannes steps into a modest but significant responsibility. He watches the youngest, Victoria, being lifted ashore, feels the weight of the boat, and offers his knowledge of the land’s secret hideaways. The scene hints at the conflict between his practical duties and the larger, adventurous dreams that stir within him.

Listeners will hear a lyrical portrait of a boy caught between the familiar rhythms of rural life and the pull of unexplored horizons, narrated with the quiet intensity that marks Hamsun’s early work.