The child with the book - Durbuy

“The seated man” and “The child with the book” made by Forster Ursula and Monteforte Angelo are characteristic of Durbuy.

He is a little boy and without too much manners settles into the shelter of a very old trellis that some would like to remove out of the way.

He settles there, happily, and he feels comfortable there.

Then he takes a very old book out of his bag like a relic.

He reads, a few lines or a few pages. He reads them aloud , as if taking pleasure in being the ones he meets there in turn.

He has Cyrano's grave accents, Roxane's soft and light voice, and Christian's worried sighs.

He plays... He has Rodrigue's passion, his passion in battle. He is Chimène when he loves.

He is far too small to know all this, but he puts so much heart into his reading that even the older ones would say "hats off to him!"

He reads, a few lines or a few pages... until he looks up at the old man who listens and smiles at him.

He stops, closes the book, puts on his seven-league boots, tucks Durandal into the bottom of his bag, and then, without waving his hand to greet his lone spectator, flies toward his snack and the warmth of a house.

He didn't come today... but tomorrow?

Tomorrow he will open his book, lend him his eyes, his voice. It will make him dream and shiver again.

Willem Vandenameele