In the service of others Diary

« Advent. A Tale of an Icelandic Shepherd » by Gunar Gunarnson

Translation from Icelandski Svetla Stoyanova, ICU Publishing House, 2025

In « Journey to the Center of Earth, » Jules Verne writes that there is no smarter animal than the Icelandic horse. « Nothing stops him, no snows, no storms, no impassable paths, no rocks, no glaciers. He is a brave, non -consistent, sure, » Kiril Todorov translation). So is the hero of Gunar Gunarson in the extremely popular and loved story « Advent », which for the first time is published in Bulgarian, Thanks to ICU publishing house.

The name of the hero is Benedict and in the first weeks of the pre -ethnic fast he is preparing for the road. He puts some food in his bundle, takes wool socks and on the first Sunday of the Advent calendar goes on a march to the inaccessible hills, bruised by snowstorms to find the harmful sheep left in the mountains. He is accompanied by his loyal comrades – the dog lion and Aries Eithita. They are called the Trinity, and although these rescue hikes are a pure sample of madness, the shepherds experience a mixture of gratitude and astonishment to the courage of Benedict and both animals.

In fact, he wants to note that these are not animals. « They already knew each other real and their relationship was inseparable, which could only be between radically different creatures. » They are what they are. Not more nor less. Here, the reader is confronted with Gunarson’s intelligent refusal to offer an elementary allegory.

And what a trip is it! Gunarnson creates magnificent, beautiful and sometimes melancholic paintings. The Benedict road is eager to enthrall, but also in loneliness. Among the dangerous peaks, in the whistling storm, the three comrades approach the death so close that the reader almost predicts the tragic end before hope is again flashed.

Like the cycles in life – It is darkened just before the sunriseand the descriptions are masterfully recreated. Icelandic nature has rarely unfolded with such superiority – both unattainable and desirable:

In his next, Ion Kalman Stefanson (« The Sad of the Angels ») notes something very insightful. Gunarnson’s descriptions often carry an easy -to -release implication, it relies on one or two words that add new layers. For example, when Benedict extinguishes the candle wick from the room, the author adds, « It is a pity to let a candle burn in vain. » It’s a good idea to read the book slowly – to unleash all the opportunities for interpretation. However, if the reader is in a hurry, he can take her in one breath, because the main thing is accessible to everyone.

Still, if we are tempted to bring out a major topic that even Gunarnson allows you to name directly several times, then This is the topic of the sacrificial person, of the righteous, who certainly devotes her life to others. This self -denial is woven into Benedict’s humble garment, who thinks only when he notes that it has been 27 years since he has laid the tradition of searching for the lost sheep of others (he was 27 years old). In the cleanliness of the snow, Gunarson captured the purity of his soul to present us the inspiring image of a true saint.