This week Pegman takes us to Gwynedd, Wales. This week’s location was suggested by regular Pegman storyteller Alicia Jamtaas. Be sure to visit her site and enjoy her flash fiction and poetry over at https://lishwriter.wordpress.com/ Thanks for the great suggestion, Lish!
Your mission is to visit the region via Google Maps, and write (up to) 150 words inspired by the prompt. You can use the photo above, or browse around for your own view anywhere in Gwynedd. There are plenty of photo spheres around Caernarfon Castle, and both street view and photo spheres all over Gwynedd.
Once your piece is polished, you can share it with others using the linkup below. Reading and commenting on others’ work is part of the fun!
So here I am late for the party once more. And…while my picture is of a street in Gwynedd, my story takes place in another part of Wales–Tredegar. You may be saying, “Oy, there she goes with the Jewish history again.” 😉 Couldn’t help myself.
As always, thank you to Karen and Josh for facilitating this group of globe trotting writers.
Genre: Historical Fiction (You were expecting maybe vampires?)
Word Count: 150
TREDEGAR 1911
“Why, Adoshem?” Tears streamed from my papa’s eyes and soaked his beard. “Again and again You bring destruction upon us? For this we fled Russia—to be slaughtered in Wales? ‘He has hurled fire into my bones—’” A sob choked his words.
I trembled. The night before I’d hidden under my bed, covering my ears to blot out shouts of, “Get the Jews!” and the crash of shattering windows.
Broken furniture littered the floor. Papa’s sewing machine lay in two pieces. Spools of thread and shredded fabric were strewn everywhere.
Mama’s soft voice cut through the hush. “Danken Gott, we’re alive.”
Papa winced. “For how long. Everywhere the goyim hate us. ”
At that moment a Christian youth entered the shop, head bowed, and gave Papa a banknote. “My father sends his apologies and this to help rebuild.” He took a broom from the floor. “Perhaps I can help.”
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
Another unknown, to me, piece of history. I bet there is another story about the person who gave the check and help. Good story.
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Dear Jan,
I just believe there are good people out there. During the Holocaust they were referred to as “Righteous Gentiles” but I believe there must’ve been people like that before…hence Nikolai and Ulrich. 😉 Thanks m’luv
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Beautiful story of unity and hope.
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Dear James,
I’m a firm believer that true Christians are everywhere…even then. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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The beginning was so wrenching but the redemption so sweet. I love how how you use your gifts to uncover and polish these gems of history.
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Dear Karen,
I truly hold to the belief that there are good and evil people in every walk of life. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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What a lovely turn of events. I’ve always wondered why people dislike Jews so very much. No matter where they go, they seem to be punished for being alive! Nicely told.
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Dear Lish,
That’s a question my people have asked for centuries. 😉 Check out one of my favorite satirists, Tom Lehrer. This from the early 60’s. Has anything changed?
Thank you for reading and commenting, my friend.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks for the link. I hadn’t seen this before. And no, sadly, nothing has changed. In fact, we seem to be going backward.
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Dear Rochelle
That’s another touching piece of history that you’ve given us.
I liked the way you tell us that they have left Russia because of persecution and then you show us subtly that they have wandered since then by having Mama speak in German. They must have lived there for some time.
I agree with you – there are people of goodwill in all faiths; and there are bigots in all faiths, too. All those of us with a faith need to encourage each other to resist bigotry wherever it raises its ugly head.
Shalom
Penny
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Dear Penny,
Most of your thoughts are spot on. However Mama is actually speaking Yiddish which Russian Jews spoke. There are a lot of similarities between German and Yiddish.
Thank you for taking the time to read and for leaving such a thoughtful comment. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Such an uplifting ending. At least some in the village are open minded and welcoming. This is one to make us think about how we judge new arrivals.
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Dear Sarah Ann,
This was the only recorded uprising in Tredegar that I could find. Surely there were accepting people. And don’t we judge new arrivals harshly? Sad but true. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you for sharing this piece of history – new to me. Shocking for the violence of it, glad of the act of kindness from the local man.
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Dear Francine,
Although this is a sad piece of history, I believe these fictitious characters represent real people. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Fantastic story, Rochelle. I never knew anything about this.
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Dear Josh,
Up until yesterday, I didn’t know about Tredegar either (much less how to pronounce it. 😉 ) Thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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If we only knew… most of us in the U S have no idea what it is like to truly be persecuted and die because of who you are. 😦 Loved the story… ❤
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Dear Courtney,
Although I’ve (rarely) been the brunt of a racial slur, I can’t imagine what it would be like to suffer in such a way. 😦 Thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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What an atmosphere you’ve created here, Rochelle. The fear the family experiences is palpable – in terror in their own home, from people who have been their neighbours, probably had their clothes made there. Unimaginably awful. Thank you for sharing this piece of British history – I’m just so glad the footnotes emphasise how rare these events are here. Not rare enough, I know. A lovely redemptive touch at the end. The seeds of hope sown
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Dear Lynn,
It seems that every country has this type of horror in their past. In Wales, in 1880…again in Tredegar there were riots against the Irish immigrants. Here in America, horrible crimes have been committed, one race against the other. How sad that we must have a Black Lives Matter movement to remind people that any race is part of the human race. Aaay. Sorry, I didn’t mean to climb up on my soapbox. I’ll simply stop here and say ‘thank you very much.’ 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You’re so right, though. It’s ridiculous in the 21st century that we need to tell each other one section of society has the same rights as any other. Sadly, that’s humans though – always seeking the ‘other’, clinging to their own kind.
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Dear Rochelle,
I trust you to find the Jewish in each and every part of the world. I love that you do. It’s a beautiful thing to have such pride and to share with us every little piece of history that you do discover. We’re all the smarter and luckier for it.
As for this Christian helper – I, too, believe there are/were many out there doing what they could. You keep discovering them!
Lotsa love,
Dale
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Dear Dale,
I’ll admit, it’s one of the first things on my research trail. With the Diaspora one never knows where some remote sect might have ended up. Sometimes my search is fruitless and other times it takes me by total surprise–like this time.
I believe there are those in every walk of life who go out of their way to understand. At least it’s my hope. We’re all different like each other, aren’t we? (Oy, I need my coffee. 😉 )
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Well frankly, we all benefit from your searches because when you are successful we get to learn through a wonderfully written story. You have a gift.
I agree.
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❤
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There is a little ray of hope in a hostile environment. Nice little bit of history 🙂
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Dear Ali,
Good people abound everywhere…at least that’s my hope. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Your thought provoking piece is impressive. I don’t get it and never have understood why the demeaning and asinine treatment of the the Jewish people has endured. Many Christians have sought to change this mindset but to no avail. This is a horrific and shameful flaw in our species.
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Very touching story of hope.
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