The Apprentice
I was nine when farm took me as an apprentice, at least I got to sleep on sweet hay and felt the warmth from the horses. Alice the dairy maid made sure that I got warm milk to start the day…
Later I took over the care of the farm horses when old Joseph died. Alice became my wife and we had three children, then the Black Death arrived. So I have returned to sleeping in the hay loft. I am old now, but the horses don’t mind, but I do miss my family and a glass of warm milk…
This Post Has 31 Comments
A life in a nutshell
How life has changed, I doubt that my chap ever travelled more than two miles away from the farm.
Life circles upon itself.
It certainly does Tannille
Dear Michael,
Life’s cycles well written in your story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
The cycles of life are all around us, thank you Rochelle
I enjoyed your story, Michael.
That is all I need, thank so much
Michael, so much of life packed into so few words. The pathos comes through.
Linda, I am glad that the pathos came over. I wrote the story with Ukraine in my thoughts. The Black Death and War being linked in my mind.
Life certainly was simpler, but were they really happier? Beautiful, well crafted story.
Such a poignant memoir, Michael.
I am pleased you thought so.
A well-worn tragedy , life can be cruel, even in the everyday, but he does seem to have made his peace in some way
Thank you Iain, I hope that he has.
A poignant story about the human condition. Nicely done, Michael
Thank you Penny, I was thinking about how humanity has dealt with trauma over the centuries.
Circle of life in 100 words, or less.
Very nice.
Thank you Trish,
A reflection on the cycle of life. Very poignant.
Thank you Sandra
So much said in so few words. That’s life, for some.
Thank you Keith
Wonderful story, well told, Michael.
Thank so much Bill
He’s right back where he started, though worse off. 🙁
Thank you Bernadette
Such a sad story, but he’s had a happy marriage and made some beautiful memories alongside the suffering, and that’s a valuable thing.
Margaret That is how I saw it as I wrote the story.
It doesn’t sound like a bad life before the Black Death.
Hopefully it was not, War and pestilence they seem to go hand in hand…