Scandinavia and the World Characters' Childhood

The Day Brother Sweden's Glasses Broke

In a small, charming village nestled among tall pine trees, there was an elementary school where Brother Sweden attended the 5th grade. Sweden was a gentle and curious boy, always eager to learn and explore new things. He wore big, round glasses that helped him see the world clearly, and everyone knew him as the boy with the kind smile and bright blue eyes behind those glasses.

One sunny afternoon, during recess, the students were playing in the schoolyard. Sweden was sitting under a tree, reading a book about science—his favorite subject. Nearby, Sister Austria was playing a game of catch with a few other classmates. She was competitive and loved winning, always aiming to be the best at everything.

As Sister Austria threw the ball with all her might, it accidentally veered off course. The ball hit a nearby stone, and before anyone could react, the stone flew through the air and struck Sweden's glasses. The impact was hard, and the lenses shattered, falling to the ground in pieces.

Sweden, startled and confused, felt the pieces of his glasses slip off his face. He blinked, trying to see, but everything was a blur. Tears welled up in his eyes as he realized what had happened. He could hear his friends rushing over, their voices filled with concern, but he couldn't see their faces clearly.

Sister Austria, realizing what she had done, stood frozen in place. She hadn't meant for this to happen. She saw the tears in Sweden's eyes and felt a heavy weight in her chest. Without thinking, she ran over to him.

"I'm so sorry, Sweden!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling. "I didn't mean to—I was just playing, and the ball—it was an accident!"

But Sweden couldn't stop the tears. His glasses were broken, and he felt vulnerable and sad. He had always been careful with them, knowing how important they were to him. Now, they were shattered, just like his heart at that moment.

The teacher, noticing the commotion, came over quickly. She knelt beside Sweden and gently put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Sweden. We’ll get your glasses fixed," she said softly. She then looked at Austria, who was on the verge of tears herself. "Austria, I know you didn't mean to, but we need to be careful when we're playing."

Sister Austria nodded, her eyes filled with regret. "I'll help in any way I can," she promised, her voice sincere.

The teacher took Sweden to the school nurse, who carefully placed the broken glasses in a small bag. Sweden was still sad, but the nurse assured him that they could be repaired.

That afternoon, Sister Austria, feeling guilty, went home and asked her parents for help. Together, they went to the optician and got Sweden's glasses fixed. The next day, she handed them back to Sweden, apologizing again.

"I'm really sorry, Sweden," she said, handing him the repaired glasses. "I hope you'll forgive me."

Sweden, still a bit shaken, looked at the glasses in his hands. They were as good as new, and he could see clearly again. He took a deep breath and nodded. "I forgive you, Austria. Just please, be careful next time."

From that day on, Sister Austria was extra careful when playing games, always making sure everyone was safe. And Brother Sweden, though he was more cautious, realized that accidents happen, and sometimes, all you need is a little forgiveness and kindness to make things right again.

And so, the two became closer friends, learning from each other as they continued their journey through elementary school, one step at a time.