What the heck, lets put this also in to circulation. This time I am getting early medieval.
It was autumn, the weather was already cold, but first snow had not fallen yet. The man was in his early 40s which during this time was a high age. With him travelled a young boy, 12 years old.
The man despite his age was strong, in a lean and wiry kind of way. On his back a he carried a rack, like a big backpack. A big wooden barrel was lashed to the rack. In his hand he carried a spear that he used also to support him in the rough terrain. The boy carried with him a backpack, in which were his essentials and lashed to it was the mans bow and arrows.
The man and the boy were heading to a certain area in the forest. Several decades ago a huge forest fire had burned down a big area. Now there was a new forest in which there were a lot of game birds. The barrel was filled with their essentials, but they hoped that when they got back it would be filled with birds, maybe also with deer meat.
They had come with a boat to a shore and had pulled the boat some distance in the bushes, covering the boat with twigs. It was still several hours walk to their hunting grounds.
Both were dressed in wool clothes. They had on their belts knives, the man had two. One was small, made for eating and whittling, the other one was a big seax made for chopping and also to be used as a weapon. Times were turbulent; there was a constant struggle between tribes for hunting grounds. The knife at the boys belt was a small, simple but well made. His fathers knives were more decorated, as fitted his position as the lord of the house. He would not had to carry his own load but he preferred it this way. Besides, more people would have scared the game.
Father, is it long way still the boy asked. Not very long, we will there before the night. I have been there before but I have not hunted, I did not want to alert game. There will be a lot of birds but if we have luck, also deer. I started to dig a pit for a deer trap but did not finish it then.
The boy was eager to reach their camp. He had been promised to learn every trick the man knew about hunting. They were going to stay there until first snow. Because it was already cold the meat they would get would keep good. During the nights temperature would fall below freezing.
They got where they wanted to camp. The man put the barrel on the ground, opening it. Inside were blankets, fire steel, dried meat, cord, fishhooks, a small axe and a small spade among other things. Everything they needed was there. The man took the axe and started to cut some long poles. He took a waxed cloth from the barrel and made a lean-to. He also cut some twigs, putting them on the bottom of the lean-to, also covering the top with spruce branches. He put another cloth on the bottom, covering the twigs with them. The boy helped his father with all of this.
After that the man started to make some firewood of dried spruce that was standing nearby. He did not make a fire yet, because they had something else to do. The man and the boy walked quietly in the forest. They were searching for places where game birds bathed in sand to rid themselves of lice.
These places they found, plenty of them. It looked like they had hit a hunters goldmine. The man took some fine cords he had made of horses hair and made loops that he attached round these bathing grounds, propping them up with twigs and attaching them firmly to the ground. The plan was that birds might strangle themselves in these cords. He also made other kind of traps, putting some seeds in them to lure the birds.
This way they made their way through the forest for several kilometers. It was beginning to get dark when they got back to the camp. The man took two pieces of dry log, put them on top of each other horizontally and propped them with short poles driven in to ground. He took his fire steel, some tinder and started a fire. This fire would burn whole night and keep them warm in their lean-to.
The boy asked for the seax and got it in his hands. He admired the long blade, animal figures etched on the blade and carvings of the handle. The man smiled and asked if the boy wanted a lesson. Boy nodded and the man cut a couple of sticks. Together they drilled through some fighting moves the fire giving them necessary light. They had done this many times before.
Next morning they started making a trap for the deer. Man and boy dug together a pit on a path used by the deer. They also sharpened poles and pounded them on the bottom of the pit that was then covered with branches and earth. On top the man placed some moss and checked that they had hid everything nicely.
Lets pray Tapio, the king of the forest for good luck. If we get a deer the women will be mighty pleased. The man thought about his wife and felt a twinge of homesickness. He also thought how she would lay beside him on a new deer skin. His wife was a proud and able-bodied woman; she had been given the responsibility of looking after the house while his man was away. He was away quite often, hunting and trading, sometimes on raids with other men. The man had trusted servants at the house so he was not too worried; he had also good neighbors that would not allow his folks any harm.
They walked along the path to check the traps they had set. There were birds! They found black grouse that were strangled on the cords. The other traps had also been successful. I told you so the man said, smiling. Tapio helps those that are cunning and read the signs of the forest.
Suddenly there was rustling in the forest. A huge male capercaillie got on wings near them and landed on a tree some distance away. The man and the boy dropped on their knees to hide themselves. Give me my bow; I will try to get it. You stay here and dont move! The man looked which way he could crawl to be hidden from the birds sight. Slowly he crawled towards a bush that was some 20 meters away from the bird.
It took a long time for him to reach his chosen place. The bird did not fly. The man reached the bush and paused to catch his breath. The shot would be difficult, but it was worth a try. Slowly he got on his knees and nocked an arrow. The bird did not move. He drew his bow, aiming along the arrows shaft, measuring the distance. The point of the arrow settled just under a white spot on the birds wing.
Softly the man released the string. There was a silent twang, the arrow flew and hit the mark. The bird got on its wings but after a short flight dropped like a stone.
The boy shouted with joy and run towards the bird, but stopped when his father made an angry gesture. They waited for a while, and then walked to get the bird. If it had been still alive it might have made a final flight and then what? We might have not found it. Better to let it take its time to die the man said.
Still the man smiled. He had been that way when he was young and had ruined one hunt with his eagerness. He remembered how angry his father had been and had learned his lesson the first time.
On the camp the man and boy gutted the birds they had got and put them to dry and cool, hanging them on a cord from a branch. Come with me, I want to show something he said. They walked towards large rocks nearby. There was a crevice, like a small cave. This cave is perfect for storing our game. The stone keeps cold, it is like a cellar. Later they put the birds in the barrel, putting also some salt inside them. The birds would keep good for a long time in cold.
A stream flowed beside their campsite and they fed themselves with the fish and some of the birds they caught. Nights were cold, but there was plenty of firewood. During the evenings the man sang stories of heroes and gods. He thaugt the boy the laws of their tribe. Together they trained fighting with both the long seax and a short knife. The boy listened eagerly for every hint the man gave of hunting.
Days went and the weather grew colder. It would not be long before the snow came. They got plenty of game, storing it in their cellar. During one morning, checking traps, they heard a rustling and a whining sound. A deer had fallen in the pit! They run to see and there it was, a deer struggling to get out of their trap. It was hurt but still very much alive.
Now, look closely what I do the man said to the boy. The man took his spear and stepped on the side of the pit. He aimed the tip carefully and plunged it to the side of the deers neck. The animal bellowed and struggled, quickly falling down dead. Both the man and the boy got on the bottom of the pit. The man took a rope and tied it round the animal, both man and boy getting up from the pit. I will act as anchor and we will pull this deer up. Ready? Pull! They had to work hard to get the deer up but managed finally.
The man got on his knees and gave his thanks to Tapio. This was a good catch. The skin would be used as a bed or clothes, the meat would be dried. Even bones would be used, the man thought of a sword blade he had at home. The bone handle would look mighty fine. The deer was gutted and skinned.
Finally the first snow came. The man and the boy collected everything they had. It would be a major struggle to get everything they had to where the boat was. The man smiled grimly and with the boys help lifted the barrel on his back. This is going to be hard, but we will manage. The boy was struggling under the load, since he had to carry much of their gear.
They had not underestimated the work. They had to stop often to catch their breath. The mans knees ached, his back was hurt and he wondered if this was going to be his last trip. Hearts pounding and bodies covered in sweat they finally reached the shore. The boat was there, as they had left it.
Man and boy loaded everything in the boat and started rowing. The stream aided them along. The man sang a song as he was rowing, the boy singing with him. They gave their thanks to Tapio, the guardian of the forest and protector of hunters and sang of happy homecoming.
As they reached the shore near the house they saw that they had been seen. A woman, considerably younger than the man hugged the man and the boy tightly, weeping with joy. It had been the boys first long hunting trip and the risks had been considerable. They might have hurt themselves; there was the constant danger of meeting men from the other tribes in the forest.
Sauna was made ready and a good meal prepared. The servants took care of their catch and stored it. Sitting by the long table the man took a good taste of ale with his wife keeping him company. The boy sat by his fathers side, proud, almost a man himself.
It was autumn, the weather was already cold, but first snow had not fallen yet. The man was in his early 40s which during this time was a high age. With him travelled a young boy, 12 years old.
The man despite his age was strong, in a lean and wiry kind of way. On his back a he carried a rack, like a big backpack. A big wooden barrel was lashed to the rack. In his hand he carried a spear that he used also to support him in the rough terrain. The boy carried with him a backpack, in which were his essentials and lashed to it was the mans bow and arrows.
The man and the boy were heading to a certain area in the forest. Several decades ago a huge forest fire had burned down a big area. Now there was a new forest in which there were a lot of game birds. The barrel was filled with their essentials, but they hoped that when they got back it would be filled with birds, maybe also with deer meat.
They had come with a boat to a shore and had pulled the boat some distance in the bushes, covering the boat with twigs. It was still several hours walk to their hunting grounds.
Both were dressed in wool clothes. They had on their belts knives, the man had two. One was small, made for eating and whittling, the other one was a big seax made for chopping and also to be used as a weapon. Times were turbulent; there was a constant struggle between tribes for hunting grounds. The knife at the boys belt was a small, simple but well made. His fathers knives were more decorated, as fitted his position as the lord of the house. He would not had to carry his own load but he preferred it this way. Besides, more people would have scared the game.
Father, is it long way still the boy asked. Not very long, we will there before the night. I have been there before but I have not hunted, I did not want to alert game. There will be a lot of birds but if we have luck, also deer. I started to dig a pit for a deer trap but did not finish it then.
The boy was eager to reach their camp. He had been promised to learn every trick the man knew about hunting. They were going to stay there until first snow. Because it was already cold the meat they would get would keep good. During the nights temperature would fall below freezing.
They got where they wanted to camp. The man put the barrel on the ground, opening it. Inside were blankets, fire steel, dried meat, cord, fishhooks, a small axe and a small spade among other things. Everything they needed was there. The man took the axe and started to cut some long poles. He took a waxed cloth from the barrel and made a lean-to. He also cut some twigs, putting them on the bottom of the lean-to, also covering the top with spruce branches. He put another cloth on the bottom, covering the twigs with them. The boy helped his father with all of this.
After that the man started to make some firewood of dried spruce that was standing nearby. He did not make a fire yet, because they had something else to do. The man and the boy walked quietly in the forest. They were searching for places where game birds bathed in sand to rid themselves of lice.
These places they found, plenty of them. It looked like they had hit a hunters goldmine. The man took some fine cords he had made of horses hair and made loops that he attached round these bathing grounds, propping them up with twigs and attaching them firmly to the ground. The plan was that birds might strangle themselves in these cords. He also made other kind of traps, putting some seeds in them to lure the birds.
This way they made their way through the forest for several kilometers. It was beginning to get dark when they got back to the camp. The man took two pieces of dry log, put them on top of each other horizontally and propped them with short poles driven in to ground. He took his fire steel, some tinder and started a fire. This fire would burn whole night and keep them warm in their lean-to.
The boy asked for the seax and got it in his hands. He admired the long blade, animal figures etched on the blade and carvings of the handle. The man smiled and asked if the boy wanted a lesson. Boy nodded and the man cut a couple of sticks. Together they drilled through some fighting moves the fire giving them necessary light. They had done this many times before.
Next morning they started making a trap for the deer. Man and boy dug together a pit on a path used by the deer. They also sharpened poles and pounded them on the bottom of the pit that was then covered with branches and earth. On top the man placed some moss and checked that they had hid everything nicely.
Lets pray Tapio, the king of the forest for good luck. If we get a deer the women will be mighty pleased. The man thought about his wife and felt a twinge of homesickness. He also thought how she would lay beside him on a new deer skin. His wife was a proud and able-bodied woman; she had been given the responsibility of looking after the house while his man was away. He was away quite often, hunting and trading, sometimes on raids with other men. The man had trusted servants at the house so he was not too worried; he had also good neighbors that would not allow his folks any harm.
They walked along the path to check the traps they had set. There were birds! They found black grouse that were strangled on the cords. The other traps had also been successful. I told you so the man said, smiling. Tapio helps those that are cunning and read the signs of the forest.
Suddenly there was rustling in the forest. A huge male capercaillie got on wings near them and landed on a tree some distance away. The man and the boy dropped on their knees to hide themselves. Give me my bow; I will try to get it. You stay here and dont move! The man looked which way he could crawl to be hidden from the birds sight. Slowly he crawled towards a bush that was some 20 meters away from the bird.
It took a long time for him to reach his chosen place. The bird did not fly. The man reached the bush and paused to catch his breath. The shot would be difficult, but it was worth a try. Slowly he got on his knees and nocked an arrow. The bird did not move. He drew his bow, aiming along the arrows shaft, measuring the distance. The point of the arrow settled just under a white spot on the birds wing.
Softly the man released the string. There was a silent twang, the arrow flew and hit the mark. The bird got on its wings but after a short flight dropped like a stone.
The boy shouted with joy and run towards the bird, but stopped when his father made an angry gesture. They waited for a while, and then walked to get the bird. If it had been still alive it might have made a final flight and then what? We might have not found it. Better to let it take its time to die the man said.
Still the man smiled. He had been that way when he was young and had ruined one hunt with his eagerness. He remembered how angry his father had been and had learned his lesson the first time.
On the camp the man and boy gutted the birds they had got and put them to dry and cool, hanging them on a cord from a branch. Come with me, I want to show something he said. They walked towards large rocks nearby. There was a crevice, like a small cave. This cave is perfect for storing our game. The stone keeps cold, it is like a cellar. Later they put the birds in the barrel, putting also some salt inside them. The birds would keep good for a long time in cold.
A stream flowed beside their campsite and they fed themselves with the fish and some of the birds they caught. Nights were cold, but there was plenty of firewood. During the evenings the man sang stories of heroes and gods. He thaugt the boy the laws of their tribe. Together they trained fighting with both the long seax and a short knife. The boy listened eagerly for every hint the man gave of hunting.
Days went and the weather grew colder. It would not be long before the snow came. They got plenty of game, storing it in their cellar. During one morning, checking traps, they heard a rustling and a whining sound. A deer had fallen in the pit! They run to see and there it was, a deer struggling to get out of their trap. It was hurt but still very much alive.
Now, look closely what I do the man said to the boy. The man took his spear and stepped on the side of the pit. He aimed the tip carefully and plunged it to the side of the deers neck. The animal bellowed and struggled, quickly falling down dead. Both the man and the boy got on the bottom of the pit. The man took a rope and tied it round the animal, both man and boy getting up from the pit. I will act as anchor and we will pull this deer up. Ready? Pull! They had to work hard to get the deer up but managed finally.
The man got on his knees and gave his thanks to Tapio. This was a good catch. The skin would be used as a bed or clothes, the meat would be dried. Even bones would be used, the man thought of a sword blade he had at home. The bone handle would look mighty fine. The deer was gutted and skinned.
Finally the first snow came. The man and the boy collected everything they had. It would be a major struggle to get everything they had to where the boat was. The man smiled grimly and with the boys help lifted the barrel on his back. This is going to be hard, but we will manage. The boy was struggling under the load, since he had to carry much of their gear.
They had not underestimated the work. They had to stop often to catch their breath. The mans knees ached, his back was hurt and he wondered if this was going to be his last trip. Hearts pounding and bodies covered in sweat they finally reached the shore. The boat was there, as they had left it.
Man and boy loaded everything in the boat and started rowing. The stream aided them along. The man sang a song as he was rowing, the boy singing with him. They gave their thanks to Tapio, the guardian of the forest and protector of hunters and sang of happy homecoming.
As they reached the shore near the house they saw that they had been seen. A woman, considerably younger than the man hugged the man and the boy tightly, weeping with joy. It had been the boys first long hunting trip and the risks had been considerable. They might have hurt themselves; there was the constant danger of meeting men from the other tribes in the forest.
Sauna was made ready and a good meal prepared. The servants took care of their catch and stored it. Sitting by the long table the man took a good taste of ale with his wife keeping him company. The boy sat by his fathers side, proud, almost a man himself.
