The Shaman's Blessing
Pat Robinson
(Independently published, Oct. 20, 2017)
A Marsh Guide brings a lame child to the settlement. She insists the girl be adopted by the wife of the Chief and brought up as her own. When this is refused, a curse is put on the sons of the Chief and they die upon reaching puberty. The people of the settlement make an annual trek to escape the harsh winter and stay by the lake to celebrate the Midwinter Solstice. During the festivities the Shaman blesses them, giving hope the curse will be lifted, but an unseen danger lurks, one that will take many lives. Pat Robinson was inspired to write 'The Shaman’s Blessing' during a trip to the Norwegian fjords. The magical scenery and midwinter colours sparked a memory of earlier journeys where she visited the Sounds (Fjords) of New Zealand. Pat found that both landscapes evoked a deep love of our Earth, as well as fuelling the imagination with elements of pure fantasy.