Post by edwin on Sept 26, 2012 18:10:07 GMT
Martha eased her back as she was earthing up the final row of potatoes and just caught a sound from the near distance. Then it cam again but louder. the drumming of a side drum and BRAAAY! of a cow horn.
Not running but walking briskly back to the walled farmhouse she found the others there, just checking the weapons and firing points, just in case. But up the chalk track engraved deep into the green of the Downland hill came a donkey cart and a group of tired walkers with one on a magnificent palimino stallion.
"Them again!" the children cried. "Get the kettle" on was the consensus of the women. "Check the chickens" are shut up was the response of Jed from the corner of his mouth to his son.
Welcoming the troupe into the yard the animals were taken care off and their people welcomed with a mug off tea that from leaves that had only been brewed once before.
"Where from this time?"
"Down near where Southampton were."
"Fair pull to up here in Wiltshire?"
"Fair to middling."
" Had a few weeks in t'New Forest"
"Deer and suchlike?"
"Plenty, got a smoked boar ham if you like."
"We like, Ta."
"And a few pounds of salt"
"Allus use that, Ta."
While the chat as to where and wherfrom had been going on a spread had been set on a long table under a leanto roof and the travellers had washed themselves, somewhat prefunctorily under the pump. The travellers settle down at the table with most of the farm folk but some were serving and some were still in the main house.
By unspoken agreement a travelling group were not invited into the house and no matter how friendly in the past there would always be a few, armed, inside, keeping an eye out. In the same way the travellers left a small group outside any fortification who would bivouac out there along with a couple of the farm friends. Not really hostages but sort on insurance that everyone had a relaxed time.
As it got dark the farmyard was cleared and what the children had been waiting for happened. From nowhere it seemed two glittering people appeared and one was lifted, thrown, up in the air to land in a handstand on the others shoulders. They both ended with forward rolls to the feet of a clown who looked astonished and blew his nose on a huge red-spotted yellow handkerchief with the sound of the last trump. Scratching his nose and peering at the hanky from it ha produced an enormous bunch of wildflowers to be given to the youngest girl child in exchange for the lightest of kisses.
"Make Way!" shouted a figure dressed in buckskins astride the palomino. The farmyard wasn't huge but he and the horse seemed to take up every inch not occupied by people and even bits that were, rearing over their heads as the horse pirouetted and danced.
The show went on with jokes of the earthiest and tricks of the most confounding. A finale came with everybody singing, even those outside who had come close enough to see through the gates. Strange songs, half-remembered ones from Before and one or two newish ballads made up in straitened times.
Then they finished with all the travellers singing their song,
"Friends and loves we have none.
Nor hope nor happy abode
But the road, the open road.
We travel the open road
Til the light of the day be dim
And we see the sunset away on the world's rim
................"
And the end with the dying sun."
Not running but walking briskly back to the walled farmhouse she found the others there, just checking the weapons and firing points, just in case. But up the chalk track engraved deep into the green of the Downland hill came a donkey cart and a group of tired walkers with one on a magnificent palimino stallion.
"Them again!" the children cried. "Get the kettle" on was the consensus of the women. "Check the chickens" are shut up was the response of Jed from the corner of his mouth to his son.
Welcoming the troupe into the yard the animals were taken care off and their people welcomed with a mug off tea that from leaves that had only been brewed once before.
"Where from this time?"
"Down near where Southampton were."
"Fair pull to up here in Wiltshire?"
"Fair to middling."
" Had a few weeks in t'New Forest"
"Deer and suchlike?"
"Plenty, got a smoked boar ham if you like."
"We like, Ta."
"And a few pounds of salt"
"Allus use that, Ta."
While the chat as to where and wherfrom had been going on a spread had been set on a long table under a leanto roof and the travellers had washed themselves, somewhat prefunctorily under the pump. The travellers settle down at the table with most of the farm folk but some were serving and some were still in the main house.
By unspoken agreement a travelling group were not invited into the house and no matter how friendly in the past there would always be a few, armed, inside, keeping an eye out. In the same way the travellers left a small group outside any fortification who would bivouac out there along with a couple of the farm friends. Not really hostages but sort on insurance that everyone had a relaxed time.
As it got dark the farmyard was cleared and what the children had been waiting for happened. From nowhere it seemed two glittering people appeared and one was lifted, thrown, up in the air to land in a handstand on the others shoulders. They both ended with forward rolls to the feet of a clown who looked astonished and blew his nose on a huge red-spotted yellow handkerchief with the sound of the last trump. Scratching his nose and peering at the hanky from it ha produced an enormous bunch of wildflowers to be given to the youngest girl child in exchange for the lightest of kisses.
"Make Way!" shouted a figure dressed in buckskins astride the palomino. The farmyard wasn't huge but he and the horse seemed to take up every inch not occupied by people and even bits that were, rearing over their heads as the horse pirouetted and danced.
The show went on with jokes of the earthiest and tricks of the most confounding. A finale came with everybody singing, even those outside who had come close enough to see through the gates. Strange songs, half-remembered ones from Before and one or two newish ballads made up in straitened times.
Then they finished with all the travellers singing their song,
"Friends and loves we have none.
Nor hope nor happy abode
But the road, the open road.
We travel the open road
Til the light of the day be dim
And we see the sunset away on the world's rim
................"
And the end with the dying sun."