Village by the River (Dorp aan de rivier)

''Modern civilisation, with its many excesses, threatens the survival...

of the legends and stories people had been telling for centuries.

However, in some areas where progress was slow to arrive...

the oral tradition is still very much alive.

ln the villages along the river Meuse, people speak with reverence...

about the days when Doctor van Taeke lived there and swayed the sceptre.

The best story-teller is old Deaf Cis, sitting next to the stove in the cafe.

He'll talk for hours about the Doctor, that peculiar man...''

He Was a peculiar man, our Doctor.

The villagers adored him...

but didn't really get on With him, because he did such peculiar things.

The only one to get close to him Was me.

Yes, me. Deaf Cis.

But in those days l spent more time in jail than at home.

l thought you had another week to go? -They sent me off home again.

The Governor said: You don't think we're taking care of you for a month?

No, they couldn't keep me.

But they did keep your gun? -Yes, and my torch, too.

Come round this evening and we'll drink to your return.

And l'll bring you a duck or a fish.

Home, that Was my houseboat on the river Meuse.

That's Where l lived With my doggie.

Yes, our Doctor Was an odd character.

The things l could tell you about Doctor van Taeke...

You'll hear it in a While.

But don't Worry if the stories are out of the ordinary.

Because he Was a strange character and those Were strange times.

Hello, Doctor.

VlLLAGE ON THE RlVER

based on the novel by Antoon Coolen

Hello, Geert.

lf that isn't Thijs van Erpen.

He's in a hurry.

Seems like a lot of a hurry.

Doctor, Doctor.

You've got to come. The baby will be born soon.

Leave me in peace, man. l haven't finished the paper yet.

But, Doctor...

Doctor, you weren't needed before, but now it's time.

Scram, man.

Yes, Doctor.

As long as you're in good time. You never know.

Van Erpen Was cursing. He thought it Was no Way to behave.

But he'd only just got to the dike road, When...

Much too early. l'm going back to get my paper.

Can't l get it for you? -No, you can't.

How are you now?

Why didn't you put on your good jacket to go to the doctor?

Doctor notices things like that.

Offer the Doctor a cup of coffee.

Doctor, a cup of hot coffee.

Thank you.

Doctor, Sir.

Thank you.

Van Erpen, l can't bear it.

lt's coming.

More hot water.

Oh, dammit.

Has it arrived? l came running when l saw your horse.

Here l am, lrma.

Hush now. Won't be long now.

Off with the blanket.

Look, the baby.

Look at it.

Look. Here.

Dammit, you got me all worked up sitting there reading your paper.

But you know what you're doing. Nerves of steel.

Give us a light.

He doesn't greet us with much respect, Burgomaster.

l've stopped being annoyed, Nooteboom. He doesn't know what respect is.

Mammeke Was still alive then. She lived outside the village.

l'll tell you Why.

She had a horrible disease.

We kneW What it Was, but We never mentioned it.

Hello, Doctor. l always recogni z e your footsteps.

At least my hearing is still OK. -Hello, Mammeke.

Did you bring my bottle of medication? -Yes.

Thank you, that's a good thing.

l ran out of drops two days ago so my eyes are beginning to burn.

Sometimes it keeps me awake. -How are the boys?

They're good lads. They work hard. And they're fond of me.

How's Mrs van Taeke and your kids? They're real little devils, l hear.

But God bless them all.

l hear they were shooting at the weather cock on the church.

Bring them along sometime.

And l'll tell them: Make sure you don't get what l got.

May God preserve you from it. But little devils they are.

And regular little devils they Were.

Run, Tjerk.

Go on, run.

What's going on?

Where are the boys?

ln bed.

Call them here.

The scoundrels. Damn them.

The old village pump Was all in smithereens.

All our window panes are broken.

A fortnight on bread and water.

Off you go.

Hendrik...

How did you make that bomb?

Simple.

A bit of gunpowder, sulphur, and potassium chlorate in a tin.

And bits of scrap metal.

We worked out how long it would take for the fuse to burn up.

lt had to work. Did you hear it? -Yes, indeed we did.

Now get off to bed.

lt Was in those days that the miller's man...

called Long Lent...

Was nagged so much by his Wife that he couldn't stand it any longer.

And so he did aWay With himself.

Yes, such things do happen.

Who knoWs What a man Will do When he's nagged by his Wife?

He ends up doing stupid things.

Lent.

Boy.

Lent. Boy...

Dammit.

Dammit.

Noldus.

Noldus, what happened?

Answer me, Noldus.

He hanged himself. l found him.

But how could he? Couldn't you stop him?

His mother died in the madhouse, too.

You know what was the matter with Long Lent?

He had madness on the brain too. lt was inherited.

That's right.

Drika. -Yes, Mammeke.

lt's worse than what l've got, right? -Yes, it is.

l've only got myself to blame. l used to be a pretty girl, didn't l?

Until he came. -Yes, Mammeke. l know.

He stayed one night and l never saw him again.

lt was a night l'll never forget but l paid dearly for it.

Sometime l wish l was dead, just like Long Lent.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Maria, full of grace.

Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is Jesus, fruit of thy womb.

Hail Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners.

Now and in the hour of our death. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace.

Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is Jesus, fruit of thy womb.

Good old Long Lent.

Life is full of insecurity.

Hail Mary, full of grace.

Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed...

Yes, that Long Lent hanged himself is nothing to be surprised at.

With a wife like that...

Quiet.

She's snoring.

After nagging him to death.

Well, nagging him to death... Pale Pie, you can't say that.

Am l right, Uncle Jan? -She did nag him, that's the truth.

And a man can get pretty mad when he's got a nagging wife.

lt can get to his brain.

And he can turn cra z y with it...

and do himself in.

Long Lent.

Hell... it's a bird.

lt's an eagle, right Pale Pie?

To Long Lent.

Lent, boy, your health.

Hey, Lent.

Did you hang yourself?

Why?

Because of that wife of yours?

Leave him be, Janus. -lt's none of your business.

Do you know who l am? -Long Dirk's son Janus.

Who dares do anything. -Yes, who dares do anything.

There's nothing l don't dare do. -We know you're a daredevil.

They can't say that about you, Pale Pie.

l'm also a daredevil. -You? You're a sissy.

What did you say?

Me? -Yes, you.

You could be in for a surprise. You don't know me.

You're nothing but a loudmouth. -You watch it.

Tut, tut. Let's pray again. -Our Father which art in Heaven.

Hallowed be thy name, thy will be done.

Hail Mary, full of grace.

Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is Jesus, fruit...

Do you know what Mammeke's disease is?

Do you dare pull off Mammeke's headscarf?

No.

Van Lent, l swear by your dead body...

that l'll do something that Long Dirk's Janus doesn't dare.

l shall pull Mammeke's headscarf off her head.

What's going on?

ls this a proper wake or isn't it?

You heard me swear.

You've gone round the bend.

But Pale Pie, what about Mammeke's sons?

There's going to be trouble.

l wouldn't do it, Pale Pie.

You heard my solemn oath.

l was serious.

And l shall do what l swore to.

Boys. Boys.

Pieter. Nol.