Ana-Maria Butuza
I brought my life to the market and I displayed it on a stall. You stopped by, you gazed at me and said, What are you doing with it? I am selling it, do you want to buy it?, I replied. You asked, surprised, Why are you selling it so cheap? I shrugged. Because I have no idea what to do with it. That moment you took out a white paper notebook and handed it to me. Put it here. What do you mean? I asked. Just like a stamp collection, you added and walked away. Ever since then, the collection has grown, the paper sheets have filled, chapter after chapter. Stranger, if you ever pass by again, pay me a visit. I wonder if you will like my collection.
Marius Stan
The old man showed up out of the blue. He looked at me and started bargaining. Ninety-three is too much, perhaps eighty-five. I believe my stuff is good so I raise. Eighty-eight. No less than that. The old man frowned. Under one condition, he said. I want either the wings or the legs in advance. Or maybe the head, yeah, I'd rather have the head. There's no way I'm giving you the head, I protest. Perhaps the eyes or the ears. He looked at me with indulgence and accepted the deal. Then, he vanished into the crowd. Eighty-eight is not bad. I quickly make the sign of the cross with my hand and praise Him. Thank you, God, thank you.
Monica Aldea
The dragon stormed into the market to collect taxes. On Baba Yaga's stall, the skulls sat lined up, unsought. Neither beautiful, nor clever. If it weren't for the old hag, I'd have lost everything long ago. He moved on to the Sleeping Beauty's stall of potions. You drank the goods again? he snapped at Sleeping Beauty. I just had a little taste with the customers, the girl mumbled, and her head fell heavily onto the table. He took a golden apple from Prâslea[1]. You, Ilenuță[2], you'd be free from taxes; if only you were mine. He bit into the apple and left two teeth in the fruit. Then vanished, howling, as the girl burst into laughter.
(Translated by Adina-Lorena Dulamă / University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, MTTLC, year I / Corrected by Silvia Petrescu, coordinator of the translations)
Versiunea în română a acestui text se poate citi aici, în rubrica Ficțiuni Reale.