When Manfred was seven, his father took him to the academy
for his first ride on a horse; it was done in secret, for Lucie
believed the child was too young to ride. His feet were tucked into
the stirrup straps, since his legs were too short to reach the stirrups.
The horse bolted and dragged the boy for yards by one
leg. Manfred’s head was gashed, and Rommel was horrified. He
pressed money into the boy’s hand. “If you tell your mother you
fell downstairs, when you get home, you can keep this!” At home
the wound was bathed in iodine. Manfred howled with pain.
Rommel furiously demanded his money back but Manfred was
a good Swabian and had already tucked the money away. Colonel
Rommel did not let him ride again.
for his first ride on a horse; it was done in secret, for Lucie
believed the child was too young to ride. His feet were tucked into
the stirrup straps, since his legs were too short to reach the stirrups.
The horse bolted and dragged the boy for yards by one
leg. Manfred’s head was gashed, and Rommel was horrified. He
pressed money into the boy’s hand. “If you tell your mother you
fell downstairs, when you get home, you can keep this!” At home
the wound was bathed in iodine. Manfred howled with pain.
Rommel furiously demanded his money back but Manfred was
a good Swabian and had already tucked the money away. Colonel
Rommel did not let him ride again.
I love this part, how a great big fierce war man fears his wife :D Though in Slovenian translation the language is even more juicy and you can really taste the pact between the father and son and then the father's 'busted' scene and his aggravation. I laughed for eons after reading it.
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