Hide And Seek Magnus
Our family worked together and played together. Summer evenings of playing ball, or run-sheep-run, or hide-and-seek. My parents were aware of their children's need for recreation. Sundays were always a day of rest, church and only the necessary chores. There were get-togethers with grandparents and cousins, swapping stories and playing games. Occasionally there would be a trip to Wildwood Amusement Park for a swim or a picnic by White Bear Lake. Occasionally we could even afford a ride on one of the roller coasters. Always on the evening of the 4th of July, chores would be completed early so we could have the treat of a movie in White Bear Theatre. It felt so cool in there after a day of making hay in the hot sun.
Hide And Seek Magnus
When Magnus reaches the public library he turns the sword into a white runestone pendant with a black Fehu on it. Big Boy then appears and asks for the apple, then morphs into a Jotun and reveals his name to be Utgard-Loki. Blitz tells Magnus they will go to his home world in the morning by climbing Yggdrasil. The three meet up with Sam at the public gardens by duck statues. Blitz explains that this is the easiest place to get to the world tree, but tells Magnus he must do it. As he goes to the next duckling Gunilla is across the river with two other Valkyries and his hall mates. Sam, Blitz and Hearth stall while Magnus finds the right one. On the fourth duck Magnus uses his sword and opens a rift. The four land on the world tree and follow the sword to their destination. Ratatosk the squirrel appears and attempts to attack them. Sam and Hearth hide under her hijab, while Magnus and Blitz go into a vanishing knothole.
They land in the yard of the Makepiece family. Hearth gives him sunglasses to block out most of the sunlight. On the way to Hearth's house they are stopped by two police officers. They ask them if they trespassed on the Makepiece property. Once Magnus tells them Hearthstone is deaf, they realize who he is and take them to Hearth's father, Alderman. When they arrive at Hearth's family home, he is surprised by the size and appearance of the property. They are greeted by Inge, one of the house's staff. When Alderman arrive he lets the police know that Magnus is a son of Frey, the officers apologize and leave skidishly. He invites Magnus and his son in. As they sit and talk in the living room. He requests that they borrow the Snoknung stone, which Alderman does not allow. But he is willing to let them have it if Magnus stays with them for a few days, attends some parties, and takes pictures with Alderman. He reassures Hearthstone that he supports him. Alderman then calls Inge to show them to Hearth's old room. Magnus is shocked by Hearthstone's living conditions. He learns why his friend must pay his wergild, as he and Hearth wonder what to do. Inge suggest they rob the Careful One, a dwarf living in Alfheim with enough gold to cover the hide. Magnus and Hearth reluctantly agree. That night, Magnus dreams of Randolph, his family, Sam and Amir on Randolph's yacht. Then it shifts to Alex Fierro yelling at Loki; after that the trickster god tells Magnus to come to the wedding. Then he sees Thor destroying a mountain and tells Magnus to get his hammer back. In the Morning Inge tells them where to find Andvari. Before they leave he teases Hearthstone about her liking him.
As a couple of good friends will do, Magnus and O'Reilly exchange bits and gags, observations and lessons, lectures and rants, insults and praises. A backing and forthing of texts, songs, and images, All the Ways to Hidey Hole: Madras Parables is one of the ways these two artists have to understand the world and themselves as they change over time. Having been in the making game for 26 years together, Magnus and O'Reilly have a lot of wisdom about the crux of the matter, and not surprisingly, they have plenty of confusion too. It's a hide and seek game of olly-olly-oxen-free for the spirit. Which is willing, by the way, though the flesh is weak. But aren't we all?
The master-smiths of Mt. Joerlak agree on only a single point: that the horn of a magnoceros is more precious than any alloy. And of all such horns, the largest and sharpest belongs to the beast they call Magnus. For half a generation, Magnus took easy sport goring hunters come to claim the treasures of his kin. Each time he would return to his cave with hooves and horns stained red, until his Matriarch urged him and all their kin to seek refuge to the north beyond the shadow of the mountain. But Magnus scoffed, having never failed to defend his people. The magnoceri would stay, he decided, for a magnoceros does not believe in chance... nor does it ever change its mind.
Some say Magnus reunited with his kin, while others claim he suffered mortal injuries and expired alongside the body of his Matriarch. Neither theory is correct. Magnus did vow to rejoin his kin...but only after seeking out those responsible for the eruption of Mt. Joerlak and watching them die upon his horn, for a magnoceros does not believe in chance. 041b061a72