The Bridge

Judit Martin, originally from the American Midwest, has been living in rural Sweden since 1969. She has published several short stories in Scottish literary magazines, two books in Swedish, and one novel in English. This story was inspired by Martin?s first drive up the Norwegian coast in 1965 and the changes she witnessed when taking the same route forty years later. Until recent decades, ferries transported people across the numerous fjords along the rugged coast of Norway. Today, tunnels and gracefully arched bridges have replaced the ferries. This touching story tells the tale of Enok, a ferry operator whose family had been in this trade for generations, and Odd, a young boy adopted by Enok to save him from his abusive father. Enok teaches Odd all that he knows about being a ferryman, and the two develop a close, father-son relationship. As Odd grows and matures, so does the world around them. As the ferries are replaced by bridges, Enok feels his livelihood has been taken from him, and he is unable to cope with his sadness. The Bridge is a beautiful story that shows the hardships that sometimes develop with change.