Short Story

The Last Violin

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Written for Sue & Gerry’s Weekly Prompts
Weekend Challenge (important) and for
Gerry & Sue’s Weekly Prompts Wednesday
Challenge (fragile). This is my response,
originally written in 2017, my 1st year blogging.

© Pinterest

It wasn’t often that we received packages from Sicily, so when one arrived that Tuesday afternoon in March, we knew it had to be important. We were all very excited.

The family sat around the kitchen table as my mother painstakingly opened the brown paper, being careful not to tear the stamps which my father would place into one of his leather-bound albums. Finally the outer wrapping was removed, revealing a plain white box. My mother slid the cover off the box to find a card sitting atop pillows of tissue paper. Prolonging the excitement, she read the card silently to herself, then aloud, translating into English: 

“Dearest Concetta. We noticed how much you admired this when you were here on holiday. You left without buying it; here is a memento of the time you spent with us. We hope you enjoy it for many years to come. With love – Cousins Paolo and Enza.” 

Slowly, carefully, Mom removed the tissue to reveal the most beautiful music box I had ever seen. It was a miniature violin, made of highly lacquered ebony with mother of pearl inlay. We all sat in wonder as my mother gently wound the music box, then placed it on the table as an old Sicilian folk song began to play. It was wondrous and I immediately fell in love. 

Cradling it tenderly in her hands, my mother moved the violin into the living room and placed it on the marble coffee table where it became the glistening centerpiece of the room. Several times each day I would wind up the music box to listen to the hauntingly beautiful tune; I never tired of the glorious melody. I treated the violin like the most fragile treasure and was always careful not to over-wind it. I listened, mesmerized, as the music slowed down and the final note was played. It was my delight for many years and I imagined it being mine one day. 

Decades later when my mom passed away, a few of her cherished items were placed in her coffin and buried with her …. a small tin of pink sand from Bermuda where she and Dad honeymooned, a little toy horse which belonged to her precious firstborn who passed away at the age of two, and the magical violin music box. 

I grieved the passing of my mother. I mourned the loss of that music box …. the first, last and only violin I would ever have. Now, in the lull between winter and spring, I remember the day when that violin entered our lives .… and I smile.

NAR©2025
Orig.©2017

This is “Sicilienne” by Maria Theresia von Paradis. Katerina Chatzinikolau, violin; Ani Ter-Martirosyan, piano

Weekly Prompts Weekend Challenge – Important
Weekly Prompts Wednesday Challenge – Fragile

All text, graphics and videos are copyright for Nancy’s Notes 🖊️🎶, The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk, The Rhythm Section, et al., and are not to be used without permission. NAR©2017-present.

39 thoughts on “The Last Violin”

  10. Thank you for sharing this truly enchanting story, Nancy … I’m listening to the lovely music as I type my comments … and you’ve jolted my memory of what I draped over Carole’s coffin … a cherished hand-crafted lap-rug, gifted to her by her dear friends from her ‘wool spinning’ group … I can picture her now, with the rug over her knees, with little Lily (our doggie) lovingly resting there … 💕😍😀🐶

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