Franz Kafka, a little girl, and her traveling doll.

Franz Kafka did not gain fame during his lifetime, most of his works were published after his death. Accordingly, fame came to completely different people who, despite his will (to burn all the stories written), published works, and did not fail. Franz's life was short and difficult, he did not have time to marry, he had no children, but he was an unusual person.

One day, walking in the Steglitz park, as he did every day, he noticed a little girl who was crying in despair: she had lost her doll.

Elsie was in tears, she really wanted to find her lost Brigitte, but the doll disappeared without a trace. Kafka was impressed by the girl's despair and the strength of her pain, so he offered his help in finding the loss. Unfortunately, things did not go as he had hoped, the doll was not found. But he came up with another plan to calm the child.

"Your doll just decided to go on a trip and see the world, I know this for sure, she wrote me a letter."

The girl looked at the writer suspiciously and said -

Show me this letter!

Unfortunately I left it at home, but I'll bring it to you tomorrow," the writer replied.

Franz Kafka solves the problem

The intrigued little girl girl immediately forgot her sadness, and Kafka immediately went home to write the letter. He took on the task as seriously as if it were the creation of a work of art. By the way, it was a real job, just as necessary as the others, because it was imperative to make the child happy and save him from disappointment. Consequently, lies had to be turned into truth through fiction.

The next day he brought a letter to the girl who was already waiting impatiently in the park. The letter began with the words -

Please don't cry, I went to travelto see the world, I'll be sure to tell you about my adventures.

A beautiful tale of imaginary adventures, journeys and fantasies followed. Elsie, hearing these meaningful words that sent her off to faraway lands, was immediately comforted.

In the message, the doll also explained that she was tired of living in the same family all the time and wanted a little change of scenery. In short, she wanted to be separated from the little girl she loved very much for a while. However, she promised to write every day. And Kafka did indeed write daily letters telling of new adventures, which, following the peculiar rhythm of life, unfolded very quickly.

A doll and her new life

After a few days, the child forgot about the real loss of his toy and thought only of learning about the doll's continued journey through life. In every sentence of this novel, Franz Kafka described the story with such precision and humour that the doll's situation was perfectly understandable: she grew up, went to school and met other people.

She always assured the child of her love, but at the same time she also hinted at complications in her personal life, other responsibilities and other interests that would not allow her to resume her life together with the girl at the moment. In this way he was preparing the child for the inevitable finale. In the end it was decided - the doll must marry. First came the description of the future husband, the engagement, the preparations for the wedding, then the young couple's home in all the details.

"Now you see, I have my own family, my family needs me and I am responsible for them. I don't know when we can see each other again.

The story was probably meant to have a very different ending, but as is often the case...

Real life sometimes interferes with fiction as well, bringing with it cruel pain. These meetings lasted almost a month until Kafka's tuberculosis worsened and he had to go to an urgent sanatorium in Vienna. Before this trip, which was to be his last, he met the girl and gave her a new doll. It was, of course, a different doll, but it came with a note that said:

- My travels have changed me. But I'm still the same, your doll.

Many years later, the girl who had become a beautiful woman found another note in the doll and, with tears in her eyes, read - she read -

Everything you love, you are likely to lose, but in the end, your love will take another form.