No one knew how he sneaked into that village. Feeble-minded, he lived in a small cottage by the meadow. A kind man would leave a bowl of food every now and then. He would thank him with the eyes of a stray dog. The little boys would become really cheerful on Sundays when he appeared at the gatherings on the pasture. Unexpectedly, he would lift up the skirts of the brides-to-be, and they would laugh their heads off. Come on, Mutu, one more time. When they found Ilinca with her face bruised in the corn field, with the skirt lifted up, they pointed at him. They took him to prison and he was forever gone.
Mihaela Palaloga
The tapir tapped with the gavel and silenced the courtroom. The divorce case was tedious and the animals were intimidated by the judge's strong temper. Bring in the next witness. Oh, you've already snuck in. The green bamboo box had proved the perfect hiding place for the green viper, Mrs. Snake's best friend. Yes, you are not prying, Your Honour. My friend's husband hasn't pleased her for years, and as a consequence, she encourages the endangered species phenomenon.
Lucian Pătru
Sick and tired of swimming in the amniotic liquid, I started going outside. Every night. I used to feed a white raven. He told me to stay in longer, \'cause the world wasn't ready. I didn't believe his cawing. Wha' does he know, I said to myself. But I could see places on his wings in the moonlight and I made my list with those I wanted to visit later, alone. I went back to mom and dreamt all day. I was growing and the placenta started to squeeze me, so my mom had no choice, she had to give birth to me. But, raven, the world still wasn't ready.
(Translated by Irina Vild / University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, MTTLC, year II / Corrected by Silvia Petrescu, coordinator of the translations)
Versiunea în română a acestui text se poate citi aici, în rubrica Ficțiuni Reale.