Story of the bittersweet meeting of the sunbeam and the goblin who cannot exist in the same world. The words here are my own, but they follow the song’s lyrics and the mood I personally sensed from it.
Inspired by the song lyrics “Päivänsäde ja menninkäinen” by Reino Helismaa (1949), this tale follows its light into the night.
The Last Sunbeam and the Goblin
The sun had set behind the forest, and the last golden rays shimmered beyond the trees. The final sunbeam still lingered among the trunks, daydreaming after the others had gone.
She had not hurried, but dawdled instead. She caressed the moss, balanced along a tree fallen by the storm, and paused to admire a spider’s web where the evening moisture gathered into tiny drops.
The goblin had just awakened in his cave and crept out into the dusky forest. The quiet of the night suited him. In the darkness, small things grew large: the scent of moss, the snap of a twig beneath his feet, the low whispers of the night wind in the treetops.
But that was not the only reason. The goblin’s eyes were sensitive to light. Had he left his cave during the day, he would have been blinded.
So he had learned to live alone, in his own company, in the dark. The forest was his home — but only at night. By the time dawn arrived, he would already have returned to his cave.
As the goblin walked on, he suddenly sensed that something was different from usual. The dusk had not yet settled over the forest. The last sunbeam stood before him, beautiful and bright. Daylight gazed at him in wonder, her head slightly tilted, at this strange figure she had never encountered before.
But the goblin felt something stir within him. Like night moths fluttering inside him. The world filled with color, and wandering through the forest gained meaning. He felt a longing — a desire to take the sunbeam with him. He lifted his hand toward the light and stepped closer. The sunbeam felt the goblin’s touch. It felt gentle.
“Hi,” said the goblin boldly.
“Hi,” replied the sunbeam, questioningly.
“I’ve never seen anything like you before. Even though my eyes tingle, you are wonderful.”
The sunbeam smiled, and the smile was beautiful; it made the goblin feel certain of himself. Suddenly, everything felt full of meaning, and nothing felt more important than bringing the sunbeam into his world, into the darkness, to dwell together forever.
”Come, with me. I will take you to my cave, where the darkness is gentle, and you’ll be safe by my side. I will make you happy.”
The sunbeam closed her eyes for a moment and whimpered: “Oh, I can’t. I cannot live in the dark. I must leave very soon.”
The goblin’s eyes went dim. A wave of sorrow washed over him “Don’t go.”
“I have to. If I don’t leave now, I will die.”
The goblin lifted his hand once more, and the sunbeam responded to the touch. She lingered warmly on the goblin’s skin, climbing gently to caress his tangled hair and rough beard. The goblin closed his eyes, and a bitter tear rolled down his cheek.
When he opened them, the last sunbeam was gone. The forest had grown twilight; soon it would be fully dark. The goblin’s eyes now filled with tears.
So the sunbeam was gone, yet the goblin still wanders through the night forest, lost in his thoughts. Even now, he remembers the sunbeam — her warmth and brightness, her beauty. But he cannot understand how anyone could live only in the daylight, while another could live only in darkness.
And though the sunbeam has vanished, her light lingers softly in the goblin’s heart forever.
The original song was composed and written by Reino Helismaa, and performed by Tapio Rautavaara in 1949. Over the years, the song has been performed by many different artists.
If you want to hear a beautiful version of this song, here’s a link: [link]
Oh, I absolutely adore this! Thank you, Anna. 💖
It is a beautiful story and it reflects very well the visual impression of the magical minutes when the lingering golden sun rays meet the cool shadows of dusk in the wintertime. One thing that I love about the northern latitudes, especially in the summer, is that transition between light and darkness can last a very long time, so we can enjoy almost endless sunsets and the beautiful colors that they bring.