Paris is tall, Mercutio is medium height, and Romeo is short. All three have heard that Juliet wants to marry the most cultured and handsome young man in Verona. Paris finds the only eight-meter ladder in the city, his servant props it against Juliet's balcony. Paris climbs, wants to sing a serenade, but realizes serenades haven't been invented yet, so he comes down. Mercutio wants to climb with the Kiss, but alas, Klimt hadn't been born yet. Romeo climbs the ladder and recites: It's the dawn, yes, and Juliet is the sun. He is the chosen one, and that's why reading Shakespeare pays off.
Monica Bologa
In a village forgotten by the world, there is a steep and difficult path that not just anyone dares to climb. The elders say that any burning desire will come true if you reach the top. A little boy wanted a friend more than anything, so one morning, he set off on the path. Halfway up, he grew tired. From behind a tree, a donkey greeted him. He climbed onto its back, continuing his ascent and talking to the donkey all the way up. When he reached the top, he didn't make a wish. He took the donkey and returned home with it.
Magdalena Daminescu
My Romanina teacher had the habit of asking half the class to answer at the blackboard, so they lined up from the teacher's desk to the back of the class. Neluța was off the hook this time and she giggled in her seat. But the old fox had spotted her: What's with all the laughing? Desperate, Neluța looked around for help, when all of a sudden she had an idea: Well, you see, it seemed funny that you arranged them one after the other, like a donkey's ladder. A bit confused, the teacher snapped back fast: Let's ruin the ladder then, come in the middle of it, please.
(Translated by Ioana Grințescu / 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.