De ring van Azelfafage

I walk along the Langestraat of Winschoten. The Langestraat is the main commercial artery of our small trading town. It is the shopping center of East Groningen. The town is also often visited by shop-hungry Germans from just over the border. Today it’s pleasantly busy, which is sometimes different due to the many online sales of the past few years.

I’m on my way to Koperen Cornelis’s shop. It’s a shop that sells all kinds of trinkets with which you can grace your home, but also beautiful jewelry.

At the cash register is the display case in which the jewelry lies arranged. My eye falls on a light-blue box containing, on gold brocade, a gorgeous gold ring. On the lid of the box is a flying swan depicted with its characteristic orange-and-black head. The ring has a beautifully oval-cut green tourmaline stone. The gold ring is engraved with stars and hearts, and inside it there is an inscription:

“Your journey begins after the mist and the stars.”