Minivättern

Vättis has always been full of energy. Vättis’ mother could tell even before Vättis was born. And from the moment Vättis joined the family, their house in Motala was never quite the same. The bed turned into a trampoline, the hallway became a hockey rink, and the kitchen table became a podium where Vättis celebrated mischievous victories with dance. Sometimes a vase would break, and Vättis’ parents would get upset. They thought all the boundless energy came from the enormous amount of plain buns the mother had eaten during her pregnancy. Meanwhile, Vättis dreamed of an adventure, far away from delicate porcelain.

One day, a man in a blazer passed by the family’s house. He was going to cycle around the big lake, and to Vättis, joining him sounded like an absolutely brilliant idea. At first, the parents were hesitant, but eventually, they agreed. Vättis quickly fastened their helmet and hopped into the man’s bike basket. Saying goodbye to Mom and Dad, they set off, with the warm wind at their backs. Towering cliffs rested over the forests, and the big lake stretched as far as the eye could see.

But when they reached the hills of Tiveden, the man began to tire. Sweat dripped from his forehead, and eventually, his blazer came off. So Vättis jumped out to help push the bike. But as they crested a hill, the bike suddenly picked up speed, and the man in the blazer sped away, leaving Vättis behind.

At first, Vättis felt a bit sad. But in hindsight, the time in Tiveden turned out to be nothing short of amazing. Just north of Karlsborg, Vättis came across a family who hopped around and shouted hallelujah to every passing cyclist. They took Vättis under their wing and taught them all about cheering and how to be kind.

After hopping and cheering for a while, Vättis’ energy began to fade. That’s when the family gave Vättis a plain bun baked with their secret recipe, and their strength returned stronger than ever. Perhaps those buns were the secret to how the family had managed to cheer on cyclists for over fifty years. In the woods, people called the family “fire souls,” and Vättis thought that must be why they radiated warmth every time they smiled.

As soon as the man in the blazer realized Vättis was missing, he cycled back to Tiveden. But Vättis, having so much fun, didn’t want to leave at first. Here, Vättis had finally found a way to channel all that energy. But as evening fell, Vättis began to miss their parents and decided to return home. When the lights of Motala came into view in the night, Vättis shed a small tear of relief. Once home, Vättis hugged their mom and dad and said, “Every year, when people come from near and far to cycle around the big lake, I’ll head out to cheer on anyone who feels tired. And if I ever run out of energy myself, I can always eat a plain bun.”

The parents smiled. To this day, Vättis has kept that promise. And since then, no one has ever seen Vättis stand completely still.