The emergency baptism

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Peter Rosegger in 1893

The emergency baptism is a story by the Austrian writer Peter Rosegger , which appeared in the February 1885 issue (9th year, issue 5) of the Graz Heimgarten .

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Ms. Bachstoffel, who has recently given birth, calls Ms. Sunnberger, the newborn's godmother and godmother , to bed. Both agree - the newborn should be baptized today, on its birthday. Because the child makes a "sparrow-anemic" impression. The way to the chaplain in the Lusch will lead Mrs. Sunnberger with the baby in her arms up the red 'Lenten over the Brandsteig past the weather crosses, then down - along the Scharwand along the Schlärmbach down to the Krippental.

But already on the hill, the godmother has to seek protection from a thunderstorm in the little Urban's house. Grains of ice crash against the window. Little Urban's five-year-old son is at home alone with the cat. His mother mows down at the Schragenkern and his father works in Raithschlag all week.

When the storm has passed, the godmother lets the boy guard the child and explores the accessibility of the path along the heavily swollen Schlärmbach. Once in Krippental, an avalanche goes off the Scharwand. The moor blocks her way back. Ms. Sunnberger has to take a detour. In the little Urban's house, the preschooler is now “baptizing” the newborn with a bowl of water with the name Jackerle. The rebelliously hissing cat assists in the act of baptism; knocks the bowl over. The water pours over Jackerle. Mrs. Sunnberger, in the front door, fell from the clouds. And the little boy made a careless mistake in naming it during the emergency baptism . The newborn is not a boy, but a girl.

Not too bad, the chaplain in the little church of Lusch appeased. Emergency baptisms made by children under the age of seven are invalid. So the clergyman baptizes the child in the name of Agnes.

Twenty years later, the little "boy" has become a big farmer. He often visits Agnes downstairs in the Bachstoffel house. Once he asks: “Agnes, I've already given you a name that didn't suit you. Now I want to try it a second time. Do you want mine? ”Agnes affirms very softly.

expenditure

annotation

  1. In the Dachstein in Gosau there are a multitude wall .

Individual evidence

  1. The emergency baptism. A story from the forest mountains by PK Rosegger , Heimgarten , 9th year, February 1885, pp. 360–365