"...that was the first time I sent livestock to the steward, and then...then, I became a cowherd."
"Ah..." Hearing this answer suddenly, the son didn't know what to say to express his feelings.
Why did my father never defend himself when he was beaten by his cousins as a child.
Why every time the aunts came to borrow wheat, my father never pointed out that they didn't return it once.
Why did my father often take the cattle to weed and fertilize the land of several uncles, but he never saw the smiling faces of the uncles.
At this moment, many questions accumulated over the years, questions that my father was always unwilling to answer before, all have answers.
"At that time... you couldn't walk yet, and your brother was just born..."
The father continued to say, "Then...then...since I gave livestock to the steward and became a cowherd, for so many years, I have only two children, you and your brother."
"Your uncles, huh, and those people in the village whispered that this was my punishment from the Lord... But I always thought it was a blessing from the Lord! When you and your brother were away, I often Tell your mothers how wonderful it is to have only two children, when I'm old, or... when I die like my father did..."
"Will not… "
"Dean, no one knows what's going to happen tomorrow, my father doesn't know, I don't know, you don't know..."
Raising his hand to stop his son's consolation, Alves continued: "Think about it, when I die, there will only be you and your brother, and the two of you can stay together, and the whole family can live together forever. As a cowherd, life can still be as good as it is now... Even in a few years, you will all have children, and you will have more mouths to eat. Life may be a little bit harder, but it will definitely go on, at least... at least It's much better than your uncles' house... "
"...so...so..." At this point, Alves turned around unnaturally, blocking his son's sight, quietly raised his elbow and wiped his eyes: "You two brothers, neither of you need to run out in the middle of the night I sent livestock to the master."
After saying this, Alves didn't speak for a while, beside him, Dean's eyes were also red.
"Dean, I didn't want to tell you these things... But now it's different, you and your brother have a new way out... Dean, would you like to let your brother live at his uncle's house?"
"Of course not!" Dean replied without hesitation.
"... Well, I know you definitely don't want to... The steward said, as long as you go to Akeli to help, no matter what happens to me in the future, your brother will definitely be Floran's cowherd... The pastor also said, here we go Akeli should think of a way, as long as you have learned how to treat cattle, you will definitely be able to arrange an easy job for you when you come back... Even if you don’t learn it, you will be a cowherd with your brother.”
"Father, of course I want to learn how to heal cattle... But I was only a helper, and no one wants to teach a helper, unless it is an apprentice..."
"Then consider yourself an apprentice!"
"Take yourself as an apprentice..." In the hot summer, just thinking about this idea made Dean shiver uncontrollably.
Apprentice!
How scary is being an apprentice
Dean remembered well that old widower Boris, the village cooper, had taken two apprentices.
From the first day, the two apprentices have been living in the barn. Even in the winter, they can only ask for a few more straws, and then tremble with the livestock.
In the middle of the night, I had to get up and serve the livestock of the cooper’s house, eat pasture and drink water. After serving the livestock, I had no time to rest, so I had to go into the dark forest, listen to the wolves howling, and pick up some firewood and branches, and came back It was time to boil the water and make the paste, and wait for the cooper to share the little food left, and then there was the endless work all day long, and the moon was halfway up before returning to the barn. rest.
In this way, I get up early and work late at night, busy with various jobs in the public land, the allotment, the cooper's house, and occasionally my own house. After three full years, I can really start to learn a little craft.
And for the whole three years, and the days to come, the apprentices should not directly offend the cooper, even if their hands and feet are a little slower during work on weekdays, they will definitely have scars on their faces the next day.
On the last prayer day, after the church sermon, another father, holding his son, asked the villagers and the pastor to witness what he said, which impressed Dean even more, and he still remembers it to this day:
"I, April/Arnold, this is my son, Cindy/Arnold. My family's harvest is not good, I can't support this son, I would like to let him go to the plow handle, Duke/Eden's family will do it A four-year apprenticeship. During these four years, all the work in the house and all the work in the allotment land, as long as the plowman told me, my son was not allowed to do it. When I was an apprentice, the plowman let me My son can eat whatever he wants, and he can beat him however he likes, without telling me. If my son quits or runs home, I will pay two bundles of wheat to the plow handle. When I am an apprentice, if my son gets sick or dead, has nothing to do with the plow handle. In the holy house of the sovereign, please remember, and ask the priest to witness."
"Don't worry, don't be so scared..."
As if hearing Dean's thoughts, Alves comforted him, "I've asked the pastor, the whole family of Ross/Moore has only served two or three cows, so they definitely don't know what to do with a large herd of cows. Taking care, there are many places that rely on you to help, and we have to learn how to be a real cowherd family from you. In addition, our pastor will send a message to the pastor of Akeli Village, asking him to take care of you .In this way, your life will not be very difficult... "
"However, even if this is the case, you must regard yourself as an apprentice in your heart, and you must follow Ross/Moore's orders in everything, and you must remember! Don't take it seriously just because Ross is still young! Let You can do whatever you want, eat whatever you are told to eat! Even if you are hit, you have to hold back! How painful it is for a child to beat you... "
"...No, no! If he hits you, don't let him hit you! I'm not afraid of hurting you, I'm afraid that your hands will hurt if he hits you!... Well... let's do this! If he wants to hit you, you just Hurry up and kneel down by yourself, put your face on his wooden shoes and rub hard! Rubbing until he is happy! Do you understand!"
When he said this, Alves' tone was extremely severe.
Dean couldn't help but nodded vigorously: "Okay, father, I will definitely remember!"
"Hmm..." After looking up and down at his son several times, Alves nodded in satisfaction: "Going to Akeli Village, do you know how to teach the cowherd the craft?"
"Yes, when you get there, teach Ross/Moll how to take care of the herd right away, teach Ross/Moll what you want to learn, tell him any tricks you want to know, don't hide anything..."
"No, no, don't do this..." Alves shook his head slowly, "Unless Ross/Moore wants to learn by himself, you should be your helper honestly, and don't come to Ross's side just because you have nothing to do." go-
I also inquired with the pastor, Ross has three brothers, and will have children of his own in the future. You are a cowherd helper in the village of Floran, and you spend all your time with people who can heal cattle in the village of Akeli. What do you want to do? Do you want to become another cowherd in Akeli Village? Want to steal the jobs of the brothers of the Ross family? "
"Then...then what should I do?" Dean felt that his head was not enough.
"It's easy to do, I want to learn Luo Si's cow-handling skills..." Alves unconsciously lowered his voice: "The solution lies in the brothers of Luo Si's family. When you get there, you should not go to Luo Si's side more often. Teach his brothers to take care of the livestock. When teaching them, you must tell them that you will return to Floran Village soon, you will definitely come back to Floran Village, and you will definitely not take their position as cowherds... "
"At that time, if you see which brother is less thoughtful, tell him a few more tricks secretly. If you come here a few more times, you can ask that brother some methods of curing cattle. Would he be ashamed not to tell you?"
"Oh..." Dean suddenly realized, and looked at his father suspiciously. For the first time, he knew that his father, who looked like a fool, actually had so much... so what.
"Ahem...Actually..." Alves was a little embarrassed by his son's weird gaze, "This is not the way I thought of... This is the priest on our side, and I am worried that the priest on Akeli's side will not like Ross/Mo I taught you how to cure cattle, I thought about it all night, and then told me the method the next day."
"Oh..." At this moment, Dean took it for granted.
No wonder my father wanted to work as a helper so much, and no wonder the cowherds in every village in Ackford wanted to work as helpers.
What the master wants, can it be a good thing
The pastor and the master have to spend their time to get the craft, how can I not learn it desperately
"Also, besides you, I heard that there will be a cowherd from another village who will also help Luos/Moore at that time. At that time, he will eat two more bites and do less work. Don't make noise with others, don't Trouble for the Ross family—if the other cowman is easy to deal with, you can also exchange tips on taking care of the cattle with him, anyway, it is a different village, and it is impossible for him to come to us as a cowherd... "
"Also, there is a younger sister and two crawling babies in the Ross family, take care of them when you have time..."
"Also, the messenger will take you to the village of Akeli tomorrow, and you must follow his instructions on the way..."
"and also… "
What I thought of, what the steward reminded, what the pastor suggested, and my father complained one by one.
For the sake of the children, and for the better days of the cowherd family in the future.
Standing at the fork not far from home, standing under the big tree where my parents, myself, and the children have played and played, I seem to have forgotten that the heavy summer service will continue the next day. This night, my father said a lot .
very many.
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