The Beauty of the Kaleidoscope — Till Owlglass’s Hike — Ups and Downs
“Many years ago a group of journeymen started on a tour and hit on some rather steep hills undulating in front of them. Till Owlglass had joined them and took his place beside them with verve.
Now the custom was that every time people went up one hill they would start complaining and moaning about its being so steep and such a bother. Till Owlglass on the other hand started singing, telling small jokes and smiling. When they went downhill, everyone started smiling and enjoying themselves while Till did the exact opposite: He complained and moaned and was glum.
After a while his fellows asked him, why he always did react so contrary to common expectations?
Till answered: “When I go uphill, I look forward to what is coming. When I go downhill, I know what is ahead...”
The meaning of the story commonly is interpreted that actually the view you take on things makes all the difference.
That whichever way you take them, the ups and downs of life will be there.
That also you cannot always expect all people to act the same way in a given situation.
Because your perspective is individually dependent on a number of things such as the culture you grew up in or the education you received and more.
A popular, ancient figure of folk tales in the north of Germany ‘Till Eulenspiegel’, German for ‘Till Owlglass’ is the main character of this story. The stories about him have been part of the local folklore for centuries.
I have known this story ever since I was a child because I grew up in that region. It’s a beautiful country, too, as you can see below.
To me it is one of the stories that made an indelible impression on me at an early age:
I always thought it surprising that Till Owlglass reacted that way.
Yet I also found in the course of my life that it is one of those stories that can open your mind to the multiple variations of people and countries and situations life has to offer. And prepare you for dealing with them, day by day.
