There is a small town in Switzerland, Obunsbach, that is known for it's fine candies. Indeed, one of the first recorded "sweets shop" is in Obunsbach, selling a honey sugared square of pastry.
From the simple pastries to the fanciest of confectioneries, if it is made, it is made better in Obunsbach. This includes their world renown chocolate.
Ah yes, 'Obunsbach Schokolate', a truly divine food, a pleasure to rival sex itself. To taste of that sweet elixir is to indulge your sensations in a voluptuous world of delight, where every texture is a caress, and even the alluring scents kiss your nose like a lover gently nibbling at your lips.
Not only for the taste and smell is Obunsbach chocolate renown, nor even merely for it's wonderful feel, the silken touch of rapture along your tongue, cupped and held by your lips. No, Obunsbach chocolate caters to the whims of all the senses, for artist come from all the world to mold and shape Obunsbach Chocolate. Festival judging is a sight to dazzle you eyes, and make you water at the visions before you.
All the sensations but sound, for no one has ever heard a chocolate man speak. No one did I say?.. Ja, but my memory is getting old, fraulein, for there was once....
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Her name was Elizabeth, and she was an American. I have nothing against Americans, mind you...my own brother-in-law is an American, ja, a fine young man his is, a good man for Yolinda, but I wander..
Elizabeth had come to Deutschland, forgive me, "Germany" for a visit. I think her husband was on business. Always business, and always in a hurry, Americans. Ach, ja, and this left the frau alone, but for her two young kinder.
Now, Elizabeth who liked to live with passion, decided to visit our beautiful land. So, with her two kinder, she boarded a train to Bern. Though bright countryside, she traveled, and places I know well. Geneva, Renens, Lausanne, Fribroug, and at last, past Flammtt, into Bern, the city of bears itself.
In Bern, Elizabeth learned of the great chocolate festival that was to be held that very weekend in Obunsbach. Both Elizabeth herself, and her two loving little girls loved chocolate. Even the littlest one, not quite a year, enjoyed the taste of that candy.
Little girls, I think, love almost anything their mothers do, if their mothers love the little girls.
And so, they took the train to Obunsbach. Past Zollikofen, Herzogenbuchsee, and Langenthal, (where my niece lived before she got married to the American.) It was night when they arrived, and made their way to a small Gausthause, an inn you would say. A friend had recommended the Gausthause to Elizabeth, and had even written her a letter of introduction should she ever visit Obunsbach.
The letter was in Swiss German, Elizabeth never knew what was written, only that the Frau of the establishment welcomed her with open arms, and no payment due. Frau Edihe, bustled about, settling Elizabeth and making such a fuss over the two tired children, it was as if she was Elizabeth's own grandmother. Both Elizabeth and her kinder fell asleep that night calmly.
The next morning, Frau Edihe fixed them all a huge breakfast, for Elizabeth was American, and all Americans eat huge breakfasts, ja? Then a guided tour of Obunsbach. Frau Edihe was gut mitt der kinder, leaving Elizabeth a wonderful, restful day.
Restful, and a small bit fattening, ja? For Obunsbach merchants gave out samples for the festival.
When they returned, the kinder were exhausted, stuffed and sleepy. Elizabeth put them to bed. "Will Grossmutter Edihe read a story to us?" they asked. Edihe was more than happy to, even though they fell asleep halfway through the tale. Frau Edihe was so good with the children, Elizabeth felt safe about leaving them to her; taking the good frau up on an offer of a night out by herself.
For tonight was the Chocolate Ball. A grand affair, where the best of the confectionery statues and art would be on display. There would be dancing, handsome young men, beautiful ladies, all under the beneficent gaze of the sweetest of aphrodisiacs, the essence of Freida herself, distilled from coco beans and generations of old secrets.
Another letter from Frau Edihe, who seemed to know Elizabeth's heart well, would be her passport into this magical realm. Amazing, one of Frau Edihe's nieces (who married a good Swiss citizen) had left a dress the week before, a dress that fit Elizabeth almost exactly. It was a timeless style, long and elegant in pale blue, bared low in the back and dipping provocatively between Elizabeth's breasts. A cape of midnight blue covered her shoulders keeping out the chill mountain air, the simple clasp of silver seeming to sparkle under Elizabeth's chin.
What a sight she was, dressed up for the Chocolate Ball. Her hair was dark ringlets, and slow curls framing her smiling face. Even as she walked to the ball, a light snowfall dusted her hair with enchantment, so it seemed as if the stars in heaven twinkled in her tresses. Her neck was smooth, an enticing passage drawing the eye down, along her creamy flesh, to the softly inviting swell of her magnificent breasts. The dress cupped those delights well, lifting and holding her proudly, for Elizabeth was like a good Swiss girl, with bosoms as large as their hearts.
If the eye could tear itself away, and sweep down further, it would behold a delectable waist, and voluptuously ample hips. Her derriere was softly rounded, above silky legs that moved sensually under her dress. Thigh, calf and ankle moved in epicuric rhythm. The tight dress merely hinted as the pleasures of her body, leaving her eyes to show the desire of her soul, if one only looked with the right vision.
Elizabeth hurried through the dancing snow, eager to get to the dancing herself. In her haste, she did no more than wonder at Frau Edihe's parting words.
"Keep this letter with you, libichen. The festival can be vounderbar. But. You haff Galadra, Frau Elizabeth, and many strange things can happen at the festival. Keep this letter to come home, Ja?"
"Ja, danke." Elizabeth replied, using about all the German she knew.
But now, when her cape was swirled off and dashing men vied eager for her hand, all words were forgotten.
In the last hour of the day, the statues were unveiled. Here was a bear, the Bern heraldic beast triumphant. Another, an eagle; dark and white chocolate creating feathers that almost fanned with the breeze. Over there, was the castle Lichtenstine, both light spires in the air, and dark brooding granite of a medieval fortress.
Yet above all, was clearly the chocolate man. He was a magnificent full size statue of a man, one arm upraised one curled as if he were giving a rousing public speech, or reaching for his lover. His body was rippled with muscles, long and lean. Straight hair swept away from his strong face, flowing over his ears. It seemed as if some old nordic hero had posed for this figure, for he was correct in every detail.
Ja, even his maleness was full, for he was nude, after the classical school. His skin was golden bronze, a subtle blend of dark and white chocolate, of caramel and honey. The sculptor even boasted his work had cherry liqueur blood, even as a man would, If the Statue could dance, he would be king of the ball.
Elizabeth stood rapt in front of the statue, so handsome was the man, so alluring in his provocative pose. I think perhaps it was this that held her attention, when the siren first went off.
"Libber GOTT! ... das ist der... "Himmile, Nich was da.." "Obberlutient, commin se heir, bitta!" "Fraulein, das is nacht.."
Elizabeth was lost in a welter of angry Swiss voices, and the general movement out of the hall. We Swiss are a patient organized people, yet even a clock runs poorly if over wound. The siren was for a drill, and as you know, every able bodied Swiss man is in the army, so this drill was very important. Even during festival, good Swiss discipline held, and the men went off to prepare.
Not speaking German, let alone Swiss German, Elizabeth was rather lost. Someone led her to a corner out of the way, and somehow, during the confusion, Elizabeth managed to cut her finger.
Some would say it was the confusion, and not expecting an American on the guest list, that caused Elizabeth to be left behind; locked in that great empty hall, alone. Yet, I think Frau Edihe knew; it was the magic of festival that shone in Elizabeth's hair that night.
For a time, Elizabeth wandered the hall, looking for the exit in the dim lights. She found side rooms, with lounges, and even a luxurious boudoir. None held the way out though, for Elizabeth had also lost her letter in the tumult.
Her wanderings kept coming back to the chocolate man, to gaze at him, perhaps to dream, ja?
Something drew Elizabeth to him, a something that caused her to throw caution to the snow, and step over the velvet rope to touch the statue. Thus emboldened, and feeling very wicked, in a delightfully delicious way, Elizabeth slipped up under his arms, so that he seemed to hold her, in his embrace.
