I’m currently reading Chronicle in Stone, by the famous Albanian author Ismail Kadare. Set in WWII Albania, it’s a coming of age story told from the perspective of a young boy in Gjirokastёr. While I’m not sure if the book would be quite as magical for me had I not spent a large part of the last two years in Gjirokastёr – it’s wonderful nonetheless. Today’s quote is a mental image for you – the old women of Albania. I’ve been lucky enough to know some “crones” in my time.
“…The “old crones” were consulted. These were aged women who could never be surprised or frightened by anything any more. They had long since stopped going out of their houses, for they found the world boring. To them even major events like epidemics, floods and wars were only repetitions of what they had seen before.
…Granny Shano spent thirty-one years inside until one day she went out into the street a few yards in front of her house to assault an Italian officer who was making eyes at her great-granddaughter. These crones were very robust, all nerve and bone, even though they ate very little and smoked and drank coffee all day long. When Granny Shano grabbed the Italian officer by the ear, he let out a great yelp, drew his pistol, and rapped the old woman’s hand with the butt. Not only did she refuse to let go, she punched him with her bony hands. The crones had very little flesh on their bones, and few vulnerable spots. Their bodies were like corpses ready for embalming, from which all innards likely to rot had already been removed. Superfluous emotions like curiosity, fear and lust for gossip or excitement had been shed along with the useless flesh and excess fat.”
