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JOHANNA DOMOKOS
I need not, I, w honder where to go,
the herd of reindeer decides my path
as before, at the least here they do;
on these fair shining fields — once more...
on our pastures is nothing but fair land, wherever you go —
how short are the days of autumn; paths this wild
are nowhere to be found; so far to the north
paths tracked by reindeer hooves, against the winds...
In autumnal dusk the stars emerge on high,
the beginnings of the time of Northern lights.
(translated by R. Eriksen and H. Gaski)
The dramatic tension of the play arises through the inner turmoil of the young
reindeer herdsman, who searches for the meaning of life. In order to ascend
into the realm of higher knowledge, the herdsman falls asleep and enters a
liminal phase, in which his subjective state of mind awakens to the supernatu¬
ral realm. As the Frost-haired says:
this is the time,
the time which is not time,
the dream that is life, the life which is a dream...
which is life...
a dream in life
(translated by R. Eriksen and H. Gaski)
Once he allows the supernatural wisdom to inspire him with answers, the
young herdsman at last attains the keys to maturity. The Frost-haired, a visitor
from the spiritual realm, teaches him that maturity demands two main things
from a person: first of all, to love himself and others, and secondly, to never
forget the deep interconnection of humans and nature:
you would like to know, yes? had you but known,
you would rather manage without knowledge!
you do not need that knowledge,
what you need to know, you will find in yourself
the only thing you truly need is love,
that you are bold enough to love yourself
so much that you can see that for this reason
alone you need others,
* 80°