Tilaj
Children
of Paradise
There
are places that feel like the end of the world, and the village of
Tilaj is high up on the list. For this small Hungarian village has
not only almost stopped living, it's disappearing as well, and
where it is going is back into itself, for this is a place that
should never have been!
Upon
arriving in this small Hungarian village, one is met by a picture of
life that has packed up and gone. Tilas's time was short and it
finished a long time ago. And its sun started setting with its
children who were leaving. For Tilaj had nothing to keep them. And
from nothing comes nothing and Tilaj came from nowhere!
There
were no old established families, nor any memorials to the plague,
and non of the usual layers of time that can be seen in houses of
varying times. Everything was built at more-or-less the same time,
and, worst of all, there was no real church. Tilaj had never a heart
and not even a school. It was simply for sleeping and bringing up
children. And the last real shop closed a long time ago.
But,
in a way, it was perfect for that which it offered. It was
built to take care of needs. And, in those days, people were poor.
And, a small house in the damp by the river in Tilaj was the
most that many could afford. And life wasn't that bad! Everyone not
only grew their own produce, but also kept chickens and pigs. Living
in Tilaj meant never seeing hunger, and there was always plenty to
drink. There were grapes in every garden and fruit on every tree.
And, this was a paradise for children, and, in paradise the children
were happy.
The
long hot summers days were perfect for playing. With a river to
splash in and a forest to hide in, there was all that was needed for
hours of summer time fun. The kids were never at home,and that was
good so. And, then, of course, came the winter. And, in those days
the winters were hard and the snow it was much. And the very long
evenings were for learning in front of the fire.
And,
the children learned, played, grew up and moved on. And, where they
once played is now the place of their past, and so Tilaj slowed down
to how it is now. A beautiful spot of unspoiled nature with its river
and forest and calls of the wild. And all on a road that's coming
from somewhere and going to nowhere!
damp
– Nass
Disappearing
- verschwinden
offered
– anbietet
Diarikom
is sponsored by Mag. Karl Brieber
Wirtschaftstreuhänder
– Steuerberater – Unternehmensberater
.JPG)
