Scandinavia and the World Characters' Childhood

Norway's Emotional Class Reading

It was a sunny afternoon in Ms. Larsson’s Grade 2 classroom, and the students were eagerly awaiting story time. Norway, known to his classmates as Rolf, was sitting quietly at his desk, ready to listen. He always enjoyed the stories Ms. Larsson picked, especially when they were about fun adventures.

“Today,” Ms. Larsson began, holding up a book with a colorful cover, “we’re going to read a story called *Carl and Rolf*.” The title immediately caught Norway’s attention. “That’s my name!” he thought, feeling a mix of curiosity and unease.

Ms. Larsson started reading, and the class listened attentively. The story was about two friends, Carl and Rolf, who were playing under a big tree. Everything seemed fine until they reached the part where Rolf, the character in the story, saw a snake.

“And then, Rolf saw the snake slithering towards him, and he screamed as loud as he could!” Ms. Larsson read out loud.

At that moment, Norway’s face turned red. He felt embarrassed and upset that his name was being used in the story, especially in such a scary situation. He couldn’t hold back his emotions, and tears started welling up in his eyes.

Ms. Larsson noticed Norway’s distress and immediately stopped reading. “Rolf, are you okay?” she asked gently, noticing the tears rolling down his cheeks.

Norway sniffled and wiped his eyes. “I… I don’t like it when they say my name in the story,” he said softly, his voice trembling. “It makes me feel like they’re talking about me.”

The classroom fell silent as the other students watched Norway, unsure of what to say. Ms. Larsson knelt down beside him and spoke in a comforting tone. “It’s okay to feel upset, Rolf. I understand. The story isn’t about you; it’s just a coincidence that the character has the same name. But if you’re not comfortable, we can take a break.”

Norway nodded, still feeling a little embarrassed but grateful for Ms. Larsson’s understanding.

After a few moments, Norway calmed down, and Ms. Larsson asked, “Would you like us to continue the story, or would you prefer we read something else?”

Norway thought for a moment and then nodded. “It’s okay… we can finish the story. I’m feeling better now.”

Ms. Larsson smiled warmly. “Alright, class, let’s continue with the story, but remember, it’s just a tale, and it’s not about our Rolf.”

The class nodded in understanding, and Ms. Larsson resumed reading. As she continued, Norway listened with more confidence, realizing that the story was just make-believe and not about him at all.

By the end of the story, Norway was feeling much better. His classmates gave him encouraging smiles, and he felt proud of himself for overcoming his initial feelings.

When the story ended, Ms. Larsson gave Norway a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “You did great, Rolf. I’m proud of you.”

Norway smiled, feeling comforted by his teacher’s words. The rest of the day went smoothly, and Norway knew that whenever he felt uncomfortable, he could always count on Ms. Larsson and his classmates to understand.