Raising the barn

Chapter Three Raising of the Barn My father told me, "We have other animals to think of" and we cannot fit them all into the barn. The new barn would cost money; we didn't have a lot of money. I thought about it for a long time. Then asked if emerald and I could bring timber from other places then could we build a bigger barn? My father pondered that thought and said yes, it could be done. But you have to get strong timber that would with stand the harsh winters we have. The next day after breakfast, emerald and I set off to find strong timber. We found a forest in Ireland. We brought back some timber for my father to inspect and let us know if it was good enough to build a new barn with. We waited all afternoon for his return from fishing. He looked at the wood and told us it would be strong enough. After the morrow's chores had been completed, emerald and I set off for the forest again and gathers all we could. Making many trips to and fro. Finally after several days of this we had enough. The men in the village started to prepare the timber. They stripped the bark off with large two handled knives. Then they sawed off planks of wood from the long logs after they soaked in the sea for a day or two. Emerald would fly down to the harbor, get one log at a time, and bring it back to the men. After a few weeks of doing this, they had enough to build the barn. They notched the edges and laid them on top one another fitting the each piece into the notch. Soon we had the biggest barn I have ever seen. My father kept the old one and just had a new one built for emerald and his mother. Now all the animals would be out of the cold of winter. My father worked so hard on this barn, he did it for me and my dragons. Emerald's mother was much stronger now and feeling better. Her appetite got stronger and emerald showed her where to eat. As they grazed in the field I thought to myself " he is just a fraction of her size, would this barn hold the two of them when gets to full size?" I had hoped it would. Mother was feeling fidgety about something. She never said what, but I could feel her nervousness. I hugged her and felt it, I could feel what she was feeling. I too had the gift from the Goddess like my mother told me. She feared that the land would not support the three of us, a cow, a pig and three hens and c**k. Plus the garden of herbs and vegetables to feed us all throughout the year. I asked her if emerald and I could help by bringing back food from other lands. We could travel the world and bring back great foods and delightful drinks from far off places. My mother thought for a bit and said" I would like to taste a new savory food" I knew in an instant that she would like a dish I knew of. For in my dream I made this very dish for nobles. It was a dish of the Moor people. It was called Saracen capons. I described it to my mother, I told her we can make here. I would travel for the expensive fruits and nuts and spices needed. Not to worry emerald I would not fail her. Emerald and I set out for this long adventure to seek out the spices we would need to make this wonderful dish. We flew to where the ships docked and sold their spices. I talked to many people of this trade and found just the right fruits and nuts needed. We bartered a price and then we bartered the deal. Emerald did deeds for many of the men aboard ship. We gathered all that we needed and the measuring tables they gave us. We returned home with everything to make this delightful dish. My mother had already made the mead last spring. Good honey mead with light herbs in it. My mother set out the pots we needed and she started reading the paper. I did not read nor write, but my mother could and she is going to teach soon. I had all that we needed including the guidelines for cooking it. "Take roasted capons and pound their livers, with spices and grilled bread, in a mortar; and moisten this in the mortar with good mead and sour juices of fruit. Then cut up those capons and boil them with those things in a pan; add dates, Greek raisins, prunes, whole skinned almonds, and a adequate quantity of pork fat; you can add apples and pears and serve. I got from the spice traders nutmeg, black pepper, ginger and cloves. "My mother was amazed with everything we able to barter for. When my father returned from fishing, he walked up the road to our cabin and started sniffing the air. Looking around for the place that smelled good. When he reached the edge of our land he knew it was our cabin that wonderful smell was coming from. As he got closer he could feel his stomach grumble louder. As we sat for supper, our mouths watered with anticipation. We were not disappointed. The food was wonderful. My mother savored every bite and my father just ate with a smile on his face. My mother complimented the dish with fresh herb soup. We went to sleep that night with very full bellies and smiles on our faces. The next morning I got my chores done and went to see emerald and his mother in the new barn. She was getting stronger and ready for flight. She was out in the field stretching her massive wings. As she did she would snort and sputter, I figured she had a cold. She had no cold but was trying to light the dragon's breath. When she did a stream of fire shot out of her nostrils and into the air. Heating and burning everything it passed. Then she came over to emerald and rubbed him, as if to say are you ready? Emerald just stood there and responded with a rub back. She nodded her head. Emerald stood there snorting and sputtering, then all at once he did it. He had lit the dragons breath too. The heat was so intense for I went back to the cabin to fetch my mother. We ran back to emerald and his mother just as she was spreading her great wings and lifted her massive body off the ground and blew everything around us on us. And flew into the sky, giving a great roar and a head bob. My mother says she is saying "Good-bye and Gramercy".. We watched her till we could not see her anymore. I looked at emerald he looked a bit sad in his eyes. He went back into the barn and lay down in his hay bed. I sat with him rubbing his head. It occurred to me that maybe when I found him, or should I say he found me. He was never lost, but really on his own.  After baby bird's hatch and are fed till they are plump, they are kicked out of the nest to start new lives. Maybe this is what happened to emerald. Well, no matter what happened I am glad he is with me. Emeralds mother had stay with us for 8 full moons.  During that time we had accomplished a lot of tasks that only emerald could help with. All the rocks and boulders in the field were cleared except for emerald's spot in the back.  The new barn was built and the extra timber was chopped and placed in the woodpile for heat and cooking.