Dark Brown Loose Stool

A Christmas Carol

von Peter Hähnel

Endlich ist es wieder einmal so weit! Fest eingemummelt stapfe ich durch den tief verschneiten Winterwald meiner sächsischen Bergheimat. Das Laufen fällt mir mit den Jahren schwerer und schwerer, besonders wenn es bergauf geht fehlt mir die Luft. Langsam und bedächtig schreite ich aus – längst nicht mehr der junge Springinsfeld vergangener Jahre. Als einer der Baumverantwortlichen beim Bergsteigerbund, bin ich unterwegs um „den Bergsport gefährdende Bäume“ anzusehen und requesting, where appropriate, their precipitation in the forest. "You have not the goat to catch a thief" I think - and remember with a smile of long ago of a story.

It was a winter as it appears in the book. For weeks, the ridge of the Ore Mountains were under a snow cover, which had pushed in recent days to the lowlands. Now, were the hills and valleys of the Saxon Switzerland, and snowed shone in winter splendor. What was so delightful than to spend the Christmas holiday in a mountain hut in this fairy tale land? In short, I had decided that a reality and was driven with the kids at the cabin. More specifically, said to my wife and the twins - and because it could not be avoided, and the law.

latter had certainly also be good, but the children were still at the crawling age and heavier than a bag to keep fleas. The question with the answer "The law - which is superfluous," "What is more fluid than liquid?" Was not for us. The children well fed, I could me so in the afternoon that "Christmas Eve" safely make their way to a Christmas tree to get. It was clear that I had not bought in town, now when I practically lived in the forest. Already some two hundred yards from the hut I looked carefully around for a little tree, but I was already aware of the offense, which I wanted to commit. However, I thought it was at that time for a minor offense and not put me the question of how it would be like if everyone would do so.

was at last reached the object of my desire. Discreetly I took a fox tail from a backpack and a man-sawn spruce from just above the ground. After I had packed the saw again, I placed the tree checking to myself, wondering how I could carry him. At that moment a man came in felt boots and loden jacket from behind a bush and shouted at me: "Well Listen, how it works well? "Throw away the tree, the remark" You know what you can run away "and was one.
earliest after ten minutes I stopped the first time, behind me the infinite silence of the forest. But my lonely lane I could probably tell. I finally came to a crossroads to other imprints of boots or high mountain shoes. Carefully, I placed myself exactly into these taps and ran a few steps backward. Then I jumped on the side of a mountain slope and climbed up without any displacement. The snow muffled my steps to the silence and my breathing was not listening anymore.

Unnoticed I ran back to the oblique eines großen Steinblockes hoch, um erschrocken an seiner Abbruchkante zu verharren. Im Schutz dieser Kante, direkt unter mir und keine zwei Meter entfernt, stand ein mächtiger Hirsch. Keine Ahnung wer mehr erschrocken war von uns beiden, aber ich glaube schon ich. Der Zwölfender jedenfalls verschwand ruhig im Unterholz, während ich mich vor Schreck fast hingesetzt hätte. Nach diesem Erlebnis beschloss ich spontan meine Flucht zu beenden und kehrte in großem Bogen als harmloser Spaziergänger zum Ort meines Frevels zurück. Allerdings - leicht frierend - nur im Pullover. Den Anorak hatte ich vorsichtshalber im Rucksack verstaut, um mir ein anderes Outfit zu geben. In Höhe der „Sägestelle“ trat ich dann kurz herunter vom Weg, um an einen Baum zu pinkeln, beziehungsweise so zu tun. Aus den Augenwinkeln beobachtete ich das Gelände und sah zu meiner Freude, dass mein Weihnachtsbäumchen noch da lag.
Außer meinen Spuren, führten die Abdrücke von Filzstiefeln hin, die aber dort endeten. Das hieß, der Mann hatte gar nicht versucht mir zu folgen.

Beruhigt ging ich zur Hütte zurück, um den Einbruch der Dunkelheit abzuwarten und meine Schwiegermutter als Träger anzuwerben. Der kurze Waldweg und das Stückchen Straße würden kein Problem darstellen. Dann hieße es schnell noch den Baum zu schmücken und die Bescherung konnte beginnen.
Schon wenig später war es soweit. Der Abend begann sich to lay over the white linen of the snow, the wind was emerging across the street. Conditions as provided for us. With the exception of a man at the bus stop, which turned to the side as we passed, no one was in sight. Half an hour and we were back. The action was completed Christmas tree. Proud I was with him in the hut and froze ... we had a visit. It was the man from the bus stop. In the green sweater he was sitting at the table, jacket and hat hanging on the wardrobe.
"Santa Claus" mumbled the children to their mouths with chocolate besmearing that he had given them. "Well," I said a little uncertain, "you see more like a forester look as like Santa Claus. "
"Mr Haehnel," he said gravely, "I am the Forester. I felt sick and I had to sit down. "If I remember correctly," he added, "They said to me - you know what you can ... that would surely mean ... come visit in the evening? I have accepted the invitation. " "As you have just found me?" I stammered. "Oh, you know that was easy," he smiled. "It's like hunting, you can only wait. If you have scared away the game, it will often not take long and it comes back into the clearing. Then you had I follow only the glass where they were going to wait and finally the transport - and now I have you. " "Well," he said, "I asked your wife already in the tree account. Their children's sake and because it is Christmas, I will refrain from display. But God's grace to you if I catch you again. The next time that would be an expensive Christmas! Well no offense, now you can not spoil the Christmas Eve and have a Merry Christmas! "
During the last words he had the jacket tightened and placed the hat. Then he opened the door and stamped out - the children still being held for Santa Claus. Erst da wurde mir klar, dass ich einer war.

Frohes Fest!