The sun is shining, the snow is melting, and the air is much warmer now. So... WHY does our village run the ice festival NOW instead of in the coldest part of winter where everything would've remained more solid? -- Anon Guest
"But this is the middle of winter," insisted the grownup. "It says so on the calendar."
"We're tobogganing down mud," insisted Galiena. "The crocuses are out. Birds are returning from the south. It's not winter."
The officious officer Thoralf Rutsk sneered down his nose at her. "You don't know anything from anything, little child. You're not even ten."
Ten or not, Galiena liked to believe the evidence in front of her, and the evidence said that the ice of the nearby lake was rotten as the heart of hell. She would not be skating on it even if forced to.
They laughed at her, of course. It was the middle of winter. Who did this child think she was, dragging the rescue boat out just before the ice skating competition. How droll. How hilarious. How ridiculous.
They were glad of it when the ice broke and a dozen competitors spilled into the chill waters. They were glad that Galiena had had the foresight to start the fires and heat the kettles for the hot toddies. They were even grateful for the warm towels she had ready.
"How could you know it would happen," the rescued boggled. "It's the middle of winter."
"I saw how everything was melting no matter what," said Galiena. "I don't think the sun very much cares what day a book says it is."
They laughed at her, and dismissed her as a silly child. They kept insisting that it was the middle of winter. And then they said they would be doing it again next year.
They believed that, just because something was written down, that made it truth.
Galiena sighed and rolled her eyes and did what she could regardless. She told people to plant their crops "too early" and challenged them to prove her wrong. And no matter what, she was right time and time again.
The almanac, by which her village ran their lives, published a piece about how her every prediction came true. Starting that year, they listened. Finally. About when to hold the winter carnival.
Even though the Almanac said it was still Autumn.
When Galiena reached her majority, there was another article. About how the calendar had been off by months owing to a calculation error in the passing of the days. They apologised for the loss of crops owing to the error.
Galiena was honestly glad to 'lose' her prognostication abilities.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / loflo69]
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