After Marina and Sabrina gleefully declared they could no longer teach school because they were pregnant, their husbands, Hau and Rue insisted that the valley must find a man to teach in their school. They agreed that the man could live with the S’TOs, so the family immediately set to work repairing and cleaning the goat shed.
Old Man S’TO and Rue left early in the morning for the city to find a man teacher for their school. Just after sunset they arrived at the E’KuN’s hut in the village. Papa E’KuN immediately took the men to the local pub and presented them and their problem to the village elders. Papa E’KuN puffed out his chest when he explained that his daughters were with child again and that they had actually been teaching school. He saw the elders were impressed by his wisdom in sending his daughters to the convent. They conveniently forgot that Sabrina and Marina had been sent to the convent because the villagers tormented them calling the identical twins, witches and throwing sticks at them.
Papa E’KuN declared, “If my kin, the S’TOs, are determined to have a school, I agree with Rue that my daughters cannot teach when they are with child. I will go with them to the city to help them find a teacher.” The village elders agreed with the plan, but had no idea how to go about finding a man to teach school. They did agree to tag along on this errand to the city. Thus a parade of ten men left early the next morning for the city.
When they arrived in the city, Rue wanted to purchase another shovel and axe. He’d brought rice and barley to trade for pottery to sell for money. So first, the S’TOs accompanied by the village elders stopped at the store where Hau and Marina had sold the capes.
Papa S’TO immediately reminded the shop keeper that he’d purchased two capes from his other son and daughter. The shopkeeper of course remembered the capes and inquired after Hau and Marina. The shopkeeper’s wife crowed with delight when she learned that Marina was expecting her fourth child. They rushed to help the S’TOs with their purchases.
Finally, Papa S’TO confided his other problem to the shopkeeper. “… so you see, we must find a man to teach in our school. Do you know where we might find such a person? We are prepared to pay well.” Paying well meant the teacher would have food to eat, and a roof over his head in the goat shed.
The shopkeeper’s wife had a nephew, Gervung, who was the natural son of somebody. His father had even given his mother an allowance and paid for the young man’s education. When Gervung’s mother died a few months ago, the allowance stopped. Gervung must provide for himself and his younger half-brother Treevung, the natural son of somebody else. Since neither lad had family who publically claimed them, finding work had been impossible. Gervung did a little bookkeeping for his aunt’s husband, but his aunt could not to do more for him than slip him some food and let him in at the back door of the store to do inventory and bookkeeping.
Treevung looked for work too, and was as likely to get sticks thrown at him or dogs set on him as he was to find someone willing to give him a slice of bread for a full day of hard labor. His aunt sometimes gave him a bit of cheese, and his mother’s brother gave him beatings.
Thus it was that when Papa S’TO inquired as to where they might find a teacher for their school the shopkeeper’s wife spoke up immediately. She saw an opportunity to be rid of the embarrassment of her sister’s children and more importantly an opportunity to rid herself of the financial burden of the bit she gave them. She gushed, “I know just the man you want. My nephew is recently orphaned. He is well educated. We will miss his help with our bookkeeping, but I am willing to let him go to a better job than we can give him.” Before the S’TOs could ask any questions about the man, she rushed out the front of the store and shouted to the first loiterer who would run an errand for a penny. “Go find Gervung and Treevung and tell them their aunt found them a good job. They must bring all their possessions immediately.”
The shopkeeper beamed and promised that Gervung would be delighted to teach in their school. He even found a roll of ribbon that he couldn’t sell because it had water stains and slipped it into Rue’s pack saying, “For your wives, you know.” He too would be glad to be free from the embarrassment and financial burden of his wife’s relatives.
Thus it was that the S’TOs along with the E’Kuns and the village elders left the city accompanied by Young Gervung and his younger brother. The village elders regaled the young men with tales of their great good fortune in finding this job despite never having seen the valley where the school would be located. The elders were more than impressed with Papa S’TO’s great knowledge in locating a teacher. Who knew that a village could hire teachers at the city mercantile?
Old Man S’TO and Rue left early in the morning for the city to find a man teacher for their school. Just after sunset they arrived at the E’KuN’s hut in the village. Papa E’KuN immediately took the men to the local pub and presented them and their problem to the village elders. Papa E’KuN puffed out his chest when he explained that his daughters were with child again and that they had actually been teaching school. He saw the elders were impressed by his wisdom in sending his daughters to the convent. They conveniently forgot that Sabrina and Marina had been sent to the convent because the villagers tormented them calling the identical twins, witches and throwing sticks at them.
Papa E’KuN declared, “If my kin, the S’TOs, are determined to have a school, I agree with Rue that my daughters cannot teach when they are with child. I will go with them to the city to help them find a teacher.” The village elders agreed with the plan, but had no idea how to go about finding a man to teach school. They did agree to tag along on this errand to the city. Thus a parade of ten men left early the next morning for the city.
When they arrived in the city, Rue wanted to purchase another shovel and axe. He’d brought rice and barley to trade for pottery to sell for money. So first, the S’TOs accompanied by the village elders stopped at the store where Hau and Marina had sold the capes.
Papa S’TO immediately reminded the shop keeper that he’d purchased two capes from his other son and daughter. The shopkeeper of course remembered the capes and inquired after Hau and Marina. The shopkeeper’s wife crowed with delight when she learned that Marina was expecting her fourth child. They rushed to help the S’TOs with their purchases.
Finally, Papa S’TO confided his other problem to the shopkeeper. “… so you see, we must find a man to teach in our school. Do you know where we might find such a person? We are prepared to pay well.” Paying well meant the teacher would have food to eat, and a roof over his head in the goat shed.
The shopkeeper’s wife had a nephew, Gervung, who was the natural son of somebody. His father had even given his mother an allowance and paid for the young man’s education. When Gervung’s mother died a few months ago, the allowance stopped. Gervung must provide for himself and his younger half-brother Treevung, the natural son of somebody else. Since neither lad had family who publically claimed them, finding work had been impossible. Gervung did a little bookkeeping for his aunt’s husband, but his aunt could not to do more for him than slip him some food and let him in at the back door of the store to do inventory and bookkeeping.
Treevung looked for work too, and was as likely to get sticks thrown at him or dogs set on him as he was to find someone willing to give him a slice of bread for a full day of hard labor. His aunt sometimes gave him a bit of cheese, and his mother’s brother gave him beatings.
Thus it was that when Papa S’TO inquired as to where they might find a teacher for their school the shopkeeper’s wife spoke up immediately. She saw an opportunity to be rid of the embarrassment of her sister’s children and more importantly an opportunity to rid herself of the financial burden of the bit she gave them. She gushed, “I know just the man you want. My nephew is recently orphaned. He is well educated. We will miss his help with our bookkeeping, but I am willing to let him go to a better job than we can give him.” Before the S’TOs could ask any questions about the man, she rushed out the front of the store and shouted to the first loiterer who would run an errand for a penny. “Go find Gervung and Treevung and tell them their aunt found them a good job. They must bring all their possessions immediately.”
The shopkeeper beamed and promised that Gervung would be delighted to teach in their school. He even found a roll of ribbon that he couldn’t sell because it had water stains and slipped it into Rue’s pack saying, “For your wives, you know.” He too would be glad to be free from the embarrassment and financial burden of his wife’s relatives.
Thus it was that the S’TOs along with the E’Kuns and the village elders left the city accompanied by Young Gervung and his younger brother. The village elders regaled the young men with tales of their great good fortune in finding this job despite never having seen the valley where the school would be located. The elders were more than impressed with Papa S’TO’s great knowledge in locating a teacher. Who knew that a village could hire teachers at the city mercantile?
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