The Potato Face Blind Man Who Lost
by Carl Sandburg · from Rootabaga Stories
Adapted Version
Once upon a time, in a little town. The Old Man with the Accordion lived there. He played a special accordion. The old man sat on a corner. He played his music. People heard his sweet songs. He played each day.
A Little Friend walked near. He saw the accordion. It looked very old. It was not shiny now. "It was grand before," he said. "Now it looks so old."
"Oh, yes," the old man said. "It was shiny gold. It was gold all over. Two diamond rabbits were on it. Near the handles. They were so pretty."
"The rabbits had diamond ears. They had diamond legs. A diamond chin sat on diamond toenails. I touched them. It felt good to me. I felt happy."
A Little Friend looked up close. "Your accordion looks very old. It looked very used. It saw many, many days. It looks not same now. It is not shiny."
"Yes, you are right," the old man said. "It is not the same. It has seen many things. I have seen many things too. We both know more now. We have many stories."
He told a secret. "When I play sad songs. The gold goes away. It just fades out. When I play sleepy songs. I fall asleep. Then the diamonds go."
"I play a sleepy song. I go to sleep. I wake up later. A diamond ear is gone. I play one more song. A diamond tail is gone."
"After some time, all diamonds went. Even the diamond chin. It sat on the toenails. All the rabbits were gone. They just went away. They were not there."
A Little Friend felt sad. He looked at the old man. "Can I help you?" he asked. "Is there a thing I can do? Can I make it better?"
"No, I do it myself," he said. "I play my sleepy song. I dream of new accordions. I dream of happy things. My heart feels warm then. I feel happy inside. It is a good feeling."
Original Story
The Potato Face Blind Man Who Lost
the Diamond Rabbit on His Gold
Accordion
There was a Potato Face Blind Man used to play an accordion on the Main Street corner nearest the postoffice in the Village of Liver-and-Onions.
Any Ice Today came along and said, “It looks like it used to be an 18 carat gold accordion with rich pawnshop diamonds in it; it looks like it used to be a grand accordion once and not so grand now.”
“Oh, yes, oh, yes, it was gold all over on the outside,” said the Potato Face Blind Man, “and there was a diamond rabbit next to the handles on each side, two diamond rabbits.”
“How do you mean diamond rabbits?” Any Ice Today asked.
“Ears, legs, head, feet, ribs, tail, all fixed out in diamonds to make a nice rabbit with his diamond chin on his diamond toenails. When I play good pieces so people cry hearing my accordion music, then I put my fingers over and feel of the rabbit’s diamond chin on his diamond toenails, ‘Attaboy, li’l bunny, attaboy, li’l bunny.’”
“Yes I hear you talking but it is like dream talking. I wonder why your accordion looks like somebody stole it and took it to a pawnshop and took it out and somebody stole it again and took it to a pawnshop and took it out and somebody stole it again. And they kept on stealing it and taking it out of the pawnshop and stealing it again till the gold wore off so it looks like a used-to-be-yesterday.”
“Oh, yes, o-h, y-e-s, you are right. It is not like the accordion it used to be. It knows more knowledge than it used to know just the same as this Potato Face Blind Man knows more knowledge than he used to know.”
“Tell me about it,” said Any Ice Today.
“It is simple. If a blind man plays an accordion on the street to make people cry it makes them sad and when they are sad the gold goes away off the accordion. And if a blind man goes to sleep because his music is full of sleepy songs like the long wind in a sleepy valley, then while the blind man is sleeping the diamonds in the diamond rabbit all go away. I play a sleepy song and go to sleep and I wake up and the diamond ear of the diamond rabbit is gone. I play another sleepy song and go to sleep and wake up and the diamond tail of the diamond rabbit is gone. After a while all the diamond rabbits are gone, even the diamond chin sitting on the diamond toenails of the rabbits next to the handles of the accordion, even those are gone.”
“Is there anything I can do?” asked Any Ice Today.
“I do it myself,” said the Potato Face Blind Man. “If I am too sorry I just play the sleepy song of the long wind going up the sleepy valleys. And that carries me away where I have time and money to dream about the new wonderful accordions and postoffices where everybody that gets a letter and everybody that don’t get a letter stops and remembers the Potato Face Blind Man.”
Story DNA
Plot Summary
The Potato Face Blind Man, a street musician, plays a dilapidated accordion that was once gold with diamond rabbits. A passerby, Any Ice Today, questions its worn state. The blind man explains that sadness makes the gold disappear, and playing sleepy songs causes the diamonds to vanish while he sleeps. He recounts how all the diamonds eventually disappeared. Despite the loss, the blind man finds solace in playing his sleepy songs, which allow him to dream of new accordions and being remembered.
Themes
Emotional Arc
resignation to wistful dreaming
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Carl Sandburg's Rootabaga Stories often feature whimsical, nonsensical names and settings, reflecting a unique American folk-tale style distinct from European traditions.
Plot Beats (11)
- The Potato Face Blind Man plays his accordion on a street corner in the Village of Liver-and-Onions.
- A character named 'Any Ice Today' approaches and comments on the accordion's worn appearance, suggesting it was once grand.
- The blind man confirms it was an 18-carat gold accordion with two diamond rabbits on it.
- He describes the diamond rabbits in detail, including their diamond chin on diamond toenails, and how he touches them for comfort.
- Any Ice Today expresses wonder at the accordion's dilapidated state, likening it to something repeatedly stolen and pawned.
- The blind man agrees, stating the accordion (and he) has gained more 'knowledge' through its experiences.
- He explains that when he plays sad music, the gold wears off, and when he plays sleepy songs and falls asleep, the diamonds disappear.
- He gives examples of waking up to find an ear or a tail of a diamond rabbit gone.
- Eventually, all the diamonds, even the chin on the toenails, are gone.
- Any Ice Today asks if there's anything they can do to help.
- The Potato Face Blind Man replies that he handles it himself by playing sleepy songs, which allows him to dream of new accordions and being remembered.
Characters
The Potato Face Blind Man ★ protagonist
A man of indeterminate height and build, with a face that is described as 'potato face,' implying a somewhat lumpy, perhaps weathered or scarred, and certainly not conventionally handsome appearance. His blindness is a defining physical characteristic, suggesting eyes that are either closed, clouded, or otherwise non-seeing.
Attire: Simple, worn clothing befitting a street musician in a small village, likely practical and durable rather than stylish. Perhaps a dark, heavy coat or jacket, and trousers, all showing signs of age and wear. No specific fabrics or colors are mentioned, but wool or coarse cotton would be appropriate for the era and setting.
Wants: To play music that evokes strong emotions in others, to make a living, and to find solace in his dreams and memories.
Flaw: His melancholy and tendency to play 'sleepy songs' lead to his losses (the gold and diamonds). He seems to passively accept his fate rather than actively fight against it.
He doesn't undergo a significant change within the story's narrative, but rather reveals a long-term arc of loss and philosophical acceptance that has already occurred.
Philosophical, resigned, melancholic, reflective, somewhat detached. He accepts his losses with a quiet understanding, finding a strange wisdom in his misfortunes.
Image Prompt & Upload
An elderly blind man with a round, weathered face and closed eyes, standing slightly hunched. He has sparse, gray hair. He wears a dark, heavy, worn wool coat and dark trousers. He holds a very old, faded accordion, once gold but now showing bare metal and wear, against his chest. His expression is serene and reflective. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Any Ice Today ◆ supporting
No specific physical description is given, allowing for broad interpretation. They are a passerby, likely of average height and build, dressed in common attire for a villager.
Attire: Simple, practical clothing suitable for a villager in the early 20th century American Midwest (consistent with Sandburg's style). Perhaps a plain shirt, trousers or a simple dress, and sturdy shoes. Nothing ostentatious.
Wants: To understand the story behind the Blind Man and his accordion, driven by curiosity and perhaps a touch of compassion.
Flaw: Not explicitly shown, but perhaps a tendency to be a passive observer rather than an active helper.
Serves as a catalyst for the Blind Man to tell his story; their arc is primarily one of listening and understanding.
Curious, observant, empathetic, questioning. They are a good listener and show concern for the Blind Man's plight.
Image Prompt & Upload
A person of average height and build, facing forward, with a curious and attentive expression. They wear a plain, practical shirt and trousers of a neutral color, with sturdy leather shoes. Their hair is neatly combed. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Main Street Corner
A bustling street corner in the Village of Liver-and-Onions, located nearest to the post office. The ground is likely paved, possibly with worn cobblestones or dirt, showing signs of frequent foot traffic. The air might carry the sounds of a small town, with distant chatter and the occasional clatter of a horse-drawn cart or early automobile.
Mood: Melancholy, yet persistent; a place of public display and quiet observation.
The Potato Face Blind Man plays his accordion here, sharing his music and his story with passersby like Any Ice Today.
Image Prompt & Upload
A sun-dappled, worn cobblestone street corner in a quaint, early 20th-century American village. A simple, two-story brick post office building with a small porch stands prominently, its windows reflecting the sky. The ground shows patches of dry dirt and scattered leaves, indicating a well-used public space. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Sleepy Valley
A metaphorical, dreamlike valley where the wind blows long and slow, inducing sleep. It is a place of quietude and introspection, existing within the blind man's mind as much as in reality.
Mood: Dreamy, serene, melancholic, a place of escape and contemplation.
The Potato Face Blind Man's music evokes this place, and he 'goes away' here in his dreams to contemplate new accordions and post offices.
Image Prompt & Upload
A vast, rolling valley under a soft, overcast sky, with gentle hills covered in muted green and brown grasses. A long, slow breeze subtly ripples through the tall grass, creating a sense of endless, quiet movement. The distant horizon is hazy, blending into the sky, emphasizing the feeling of a sleepy, expansive landscape. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
