Min tibetanska barndom i Zorgay - Life and Culture on the Tibetan ...

15
AN INCONCEIVABLE DREAM
W
inter is an ideal season for those who love to sleep
because the nights are long <strong>and</strong> the night skies are
clear. As the saying goes "The longer the night, the
more dreams you will have." I had a dream that would never
happen, no matter how hard I tried to achieve it. That night,
millions of stars shone brightly, fracturing the boundless
darkness. The frozen wintry wind made me shudder. Father <strong>and</strong>
I were outside peeing, <strong>and</strong> about to go to the bedroom. I wanted
to get into bed immediately. I called to Father, as his dark,
indistinct figure seemed to move away, "Adza, wait for me. I
didn't finish."
"I'm here," said Father, patting my head slightly, which
scared me to death.
"Oh! Father, you frightened me," I said, <strong>and</strong> not even
daring to lift up my trousers from around my knees, I jumped
up to Father's chest <strong>and</strong> hugged his neck tightly. At night,
children are afraid that ghosts are everywhere. Gr<strong>and</strong>mother
told me not to go outside alone at night or ghosts might capture
me, eat my flesh, <strong>and</strong> drink my blood like tea. I was also told
not to whistle <strong>and</strong> play with fire at night because that would
also attract ghosts. Father held me close <strong>and</strong> carried me back
to our bedroom. It was too dark to see <strong>and</strong> Father walked like a
blind person, one h<strong>and</strong> holding me, <strong>and</strong> waving the other,
feeling a safe way. Our kerosene lamp was no use in the harsh
wind. Finally we were back in our warm, soft sheepskin quilt. I
leaned my head against Father's chest, hugging him as tightly as
my strength allowed, feeling warmth radiate from his body. I
dozed off immediately <strong>and</strong> entered the realm of dreams:
The sun was exceptionally bright in a sea-blue sky, blazing
down on my village. Everything looked lively. The villagers'
faces were full of smiles as they greeted me. They all sounded
very cheerful. They offered me so many khadag that I was
totally covered in their gifts of pure whiteness, just like a
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