Viktor Žaltys

A Solstice Crown

Even though my life was crumbling around me, for whatever reason all I could think about was my Gran and her stories. She always had a way with words, knowing precisely what to say to get a child's imagination turning. She had often told me the story of how she and my grandfather met. It was during the Saint Jonas's festival, a tradition on the summer solstice in which the young women would sing songs and dance, with the end of the festival being marked by putting their handmade, flower crowns into the river. Your crown floated down the river, and the young man that caught it was supposed to be your true love. Gran had difficulties getting hers to cooperate, though. Every time she placed it, it would only float a few meters. That was until it came to my grandfather's feet. He helped her by throwing it into the middle of the river. But the crown had already found its mark, and true love bloomed between the two.