The Odd one out

Tamil and Tonga always longed for a child that would make them very proud. Then their luck changed their wish was granted, they had a beautiful baby that had blond hair and blue eyes, every one all came to look at the beautiful blond baby. She was the first born to the village with blond hair and the villagers knew that she would bring good luck to the tribe.

When she was 2 years old the villagers could not wait to find out the name that Tamil and Tonga give her and Tonga said I am going to name her Sake which means good luck. The tribe approved at this and wished the mother good luck.

Sake like any other child liked playing tag and was curious about everything like the strange flowers that grow around the village. Sake like anyone else hated been blond and wished she had black hair like her friend who was the same age that she sometimes played tag with Nishi, wished she had blond hair like Sake. Sake noticed that she felt she was the odd one out as every one in the village all had black hair and her friend said, but you’re lucky and every body says you have brought good luck.

Sake makes new friends

One day as Sake was attending lessons that one of the parents was giving, noticed a little girl who had white blond type hair like an albino and Sake thought she was a wonderful sight she had ever seen, she was not feeling like the odd one out any more. After lessons she went and talked to her and she found out who she was. Her name was Unagi and she was 2 years old and her parents were Daku and Tuna. Then as Sake was making a new friend they notice a small boy who was slightly younger in Isola moons was also age 2 and he was walking very slowly to attend the lessons. Sake who noticed him, told him the lessons were over, but he said I got to attend to the lessons my mom told me I have to learn. Sake asked his name and he said his name was Nanu and he did not like running. He was the son of Tatau and Chirita.

The history of Nanu of why he did not like running, was when he was a baby and the village was stuck down with a terrible disease, which was caused by a dead parrot. His mother who was nursing at the time became concerned for him after she had caught the sickness and had given it to her baby as the sickness had struck suddenly. All the doctors did their best to heal them as the disease was spreading across the entire population. As all the doctors were also sick at the time, had to pray to the guiding hand to help them and the guiding hand got one of the children to heal some of the doctors so they could get on with their job. When Chirita was healed and healed her baby boy was successful; however this left Nanu very weak and his mother knew he would never be as strong as the other children and would not be able to run very far. But this did not stop him from playing and he could still jump up to the coconuts.
So this is how the three children became great friends. When they played together Sake and Unagi would always stop and wait for Nanu to catch up.

To be continued

Comments

Chapter 2


Tonga Sake’s daughter was tall female as she was so tall she could get to the coconuts much easier than her fellow villagers. As with her height she had slightly longer arms as when the guiding hand noticed that as going through the details it seemed that went from one and back to Tonga the height changed to make her seem taller and her arms a little bit longer. The guiding hand realised that the villagers are not all the same size. She was slightly taller than most of her villagers as the guiding hand noticed in the villager’s details and even her husband Tamil was a slight difference. Tonga also had a younger sister named Bass and she was also as tall, as the guiding hand noticed this too. This was good to know as it meant that all villagers were different and not all the same as first appeared; this made it easier for the guiding hand to know who Tonga was when looking who the child’s mother was as the same thing happened. The guiding hand wished she had proof of this to show others. Bass kept her hair at shoulder length as she liked it that way. She remembered when her mother said to her when she was a child that she was going to be tall as her grandmother. Tonga did not mind been tall, yet sometimes she got fed up with her fellow villagers asking her to reach something as she was taller. Then again she was very proud of her height and always held herself high and the other villagers always respected her for this and thought she was beautiful.

Sake was now 6 years old and was attending lessons when she noticed that Unagi was not in her usual place in her line. Sake was wondering why and was going to find out why.

Later she found Unagi alone by the mosaic feeling a bit lonely a bit down. She told Sake that her favourite granny had died and now she would not hear any more of her stories. Soon Nanu came to join them and saw the sad looks on his friend’s faces and ask what is up and Sake explained that, ‘Her gran is dead.’
‘I’m sorry your gran is dead.’ Said Nanu ‘Maybe she is in Isola haven with all the angels.’
‘But I miss her, I want my gran, and her stories. ‘Please don’t cry Unagi, I’ll get my gran to tell you a story she is good at telling stories,’ Sake said.
‘My gran too, will tell you stories.’ Nanu said
‘I want my gran cried.’ Unagi not persuaded.Then she suddenly stopped crying and said, I like your gran,
‘Tell you what, let's ask your mom to tell you a story, and if she is busy we ask my gran.’ Sake said.
'Yes please, but I rather like to hear your gran's stories'
The three children went to find Tuna and saw she was still nursing a baby and realised why mom would not be able to tell her a story as she was busy looking after her newly baby sibling. Unagi loved her baby sibling and wondered what her mom would name her. Then they decided to ask Nanu’s gran as she was not too busy, and she was pleased to tell them a story. Nanu’s gran was Koa and she was also the children’s teacher and she told story about many years ago before they inhabited Isola. Unagi realised she was like her gran the way she told her stories.

It was time for a tag game and the children joined the in the que and poor Nanu was always last as he did not like running, however this did not stop him enjoying the game. The problem was when he was ‘IT’ found it hard to catch anyone and Sake thought of an idea rather him trying to tag someone when ever he was ‘It’ which was not often. Nanu liked been ‘IT’ as he liked to prove himself he was great, but he also found it hard to keep up. Sake had an idea and she made some new rules to the game to help the slow ones that could not run very fast.
When you any one is ‘IT’ You not tag any one that jumped off the ground and if you’re off the ground it does not count, so they can’t make you “IT” This is what Sake told the new rules in the tag game she told the other children and the children thought this was a cool idea. Sake was a very bright child for her age and set many rules to help Nanu to survive against all the odds. Nanu would always look upon her as she was like his older sister. Nanu did love his brothers and sisters but he did not bother with them as they were alot older than him. Yet his older brothers would defend him like any other sibling would to protect him as any brother would. Nanu liked his friends better as they were his age, and was glad he had a friend of Sake and Unagi. Been the youngest of the three of them Sake thought it her job to make sure he had a fair deal and any other children who did not run and this is why the children in the tag game always jumping very high and Nanu loved jumping high up.

To be continued.

This chapter remines me of my childhood when there were 6 of us that aways played together at school all different personalties, read on.

Chapter 3

Tuna has twins

The villagers were delighted that Tuna give birth to twins and they turned out to be two beautiful blond girls this made Sake a little bit jealous not been unique any more as she realised that she loved the attention. Sake was now age 9 years old when the twins were age two. The twin’s names were Kaana and Jem both of them did not like fish. They liked playing in the sand. There was also little blond boy who was born less then 1 Isola year earlier named Jak the son of Tutuni and Zola. The villagers give thanks to the guiding hand by greeting the guiding hand for bringing these blond children. Sake suddenly felt slightly guilty with her thoughts and as she with the other villagers asked the guiding hand to forgive her on these thoughts. Then she felt better knowing that she had asked and ran off to play.

Sake decided to make friends with the twins and she asked them if they would like to join her group and the twins were delighted to join her friends. She even asked the little blond boy who she liked very much as she thought he was very cute. Maybe this was the reason why she asked him. Been a boy did not want to join a group of girls.
‘Okay’ said Sake, ‘but your missing out on a lot of fun.’ This did not stop Sake from giving up as she liked Jak even though he was only 3 years old and still a toddler. Sake was 6 years older than Jak, she kept asking him and she told him there is a boy in our team called Nanu.
Jak said, ‘but he can’t run!!!’
‘He may not run but he is a good team player and he could beat you at any game.’ Sake reminded Jak.
Jak replied, ‘If you say so.’ And he ran off to play with the other boys trying to reach the coconuts. Sake sighed like an adult.
‘Come lets join the others to play tag,’ and they joined the line of other children to play tag. Nanu was already in the centre of the village as he did not join the line and each time Pana was ‘It’ and as soon as Pana tried to tag him he jumped in the air, Nana said ‘You not get me’ Pana was a year younger than Sake age 8. Pana realised she was never going to catch out as he was good at jumping and each time she tried he was too fast in jumping up. Pana realised she had underestimated Nanu as he was cleaver at avoiding of been tagged. Even though he could not run he was cleaver at other things. Nanu had to be cleaver at outwitting his peers if he wanted to survive in this tribe as it was a hard life for the villagers. They all had to be strong as any thing could befall them such as food going mouldy and falling off the trees and in the food bin. This happened the other season before Nanu was born, but Sake remembered the time as she was only age 3 at the time and she wondered why mommy would give her the little food she had and not herself. At the time mommy asked her if she could to look for mushrooms and said the red (green mod) ones give more food. Sake with the help of the guiding hand located the mushrooms with the other children. Sometime they saw an item, but the children knew you cannot eat an item as they only collected them to buy clothes. Sake thought it a waste to leave it there and took it to the scientists. The bad days were now behind them and there was plenty of food for the villagers.

After the tag game Sake still wanted Jak to join them, but Unagi said, ‘I wouldn’t bother he just not interested!!!’
‘No he’s, oh he just don….’ Okay maybe your right, but I will keep on asking; After all he is a boy and boys only like playing with boys.’
Unagi said, How about asking some boys to join and maybe he will join our team!!!’
Sake said, ‘Yes, so who are we going to ask?
Unagi said how about ‘Tatoo and Wan.’ The twins, Unagi, Nanu and Sake went round asking who wanted to join their team. Most of them said no then Lenok who was age 5 ask could I join your team. Lenok had a mop of curly brown hair and the girls and Nanu were please to let him join. Then Sake decided that he would have to pass a test if he wanted to join them. It was too join had to make pledge to always be kind to those who are less fortunate then you. They decided to do this in front of the gong. Another boy said he would join, his name was Lupo. Then Sake thought that she would ask her friend who she not played with a long time and that was Nishi. Sake was not sure she would join as she not played with her since she made friends with Nanu and Sake. With heavy heart and hoping she would like to join, was not sure, maybe she has a group of her own.

The following day, Sake was delighted when Nishi wanted to play with them and the thought never crossed her mind about not playing together much. It was because Sake was a sensitive child and very kind. It was in her nature and Nishi told her this and said, ‘you were always good to me during the hard times. I thought it was me that that we not been playing together and you thought it was you.’
‘Yes something like that,’ Sake said.
‘Oh wow we are a pare and I am very pleased that you are been our friends together, friends forever.
They said the whole group Friends to gather, friends forever. As they were saying these words they noticed little Jak coming up shyly asking, ‘Can I join in and said I am sorry I was mean I really am.’
‘Of course you can Jak,’ tried to hide her feelings that she was delighted, you are always welcome. The group got now 6 of them Jak, Nishi, the twin girls, Nanu and herself.

The other boys that was going to join, as they decided not to or just forgot about it as most do, as they have other things on their minds. It was just a spare of the moment as in a villager’s life. Sake never thought about it as, they were busy playing together, like running to try and reach the coconuts seeing who could reach the highest and running round the fire looking for pictures the flames make and Nanu said, ‘I can see a monkey in the flames what can you see asking the others.’
‘Look I can see a mother with her baby look,’ Sake said.
‘I see a bird in a nest.’ Nishi said.
After looking for images that the flames make in the fire was time for a tag game and this time Sake was ‘It’ after Nanu tagged her and she said I going to get you and Nanu jumped up high saying ‘Oh no you won’t’ In the end Sake tagged one of the other children who was 2 years older than her.

After the tag game the six of them want round exploring the island looking at the strange flowers and then they went to watch the scientists work and were festinated watching the experiments the scientists at making things. Sake maybe one day she might be a scientist but her mom said it was a too dangerous job. Sake would be a farmer when she grew up, but at the moment, she would think over what she might do when she grew up. She asked her friends what they would like to do when they grow up.
‘I want to be a famous scientist and event things.’ Sake said, but my mom says it is a dangerous job and I should choose a less dangerous job, but what’s the fun in that?’
I think your mom is thinking about you and don’t want you to get hurt researching when you grow up.’ Nanu explained.
‘What do you want to do when you grow up? Sake asked.
‘I would like to be a farmer and to catch a lot of fish.’ Nanu said
‘I’m going to be a doctor healer like my dad when I grow up.’ Jak said. Jak already had some healing skills and he would make a good doctor.
‘What about you Nishi.’ Sake asks.
‘I am not sure yet, but I like to build things.’ Nishi said. I would like to become an elder like my great-grandmother and lean 3 skills.
‘That is a great ambition you have,’ Sake said, ‘I not sure they make totems any more as they took up too much space in the village.’
‘I know, but I want to achieve something when I grow up like my great-grandmother to make her proud of me.’ Explained Nishi. I hope the guiding hand grants my wishes. But then I know it be hard, two skills would be good to master, my great-grandmother would be very please with that.

To be continued

Chapter 4

Sake would be 14 in a few Isola days and would be old enough to work. Her younger friends were sad that she not be able to play with them any more and said, we’re going to miss having you around, you going to be all grown up and 14. Unagi said.
‘I know, but look on the bright side we still got a few days to play together and come on lets play tag and they all joined in to play tag.

Sake is 14

Sake after a tag game on her 14th birthday was the last game she would ever play with her friends made the most of it. Then she told them. I have to start work now, but don’t worry I’ll be still around at the end of the day. I cannot see the mushrooms no more, nor can the collectables, but I do grownup things like fishing. Not yet tell stories until I am 18. You are all grown up now’ Unagi said, she was now 12 years old and so was Nanu the twins were age 9 and Jak was age 10 Nishi was still 13 and she too would be 14 in another Isola moon was really going to miss her, but she knew that it would not be long before she was old enough to start work and the job she be doing would be a builder as she had gained a building skill from her mother who was a master builder.

Sake started work on the fields first with her mother by watering the crops and then decided to go fishing. Sometime Sake failed to catch a fish or sometime when she watered the field sometimes messed it up by watering the part of the field that did not need doing at times.

Nishi is 14

One Isola moon later Nishi was 14 and as she had a skill in construction, ask the master builders if any of the huts needed fixing and then decided to examine the huts and found them in good repair. Then as there was no huts to be fix at the moment, Nishi walked to the centre of the village not sure what to do. The guiding hand was not around when she turned 14, so had no one to guide her. Then one of the villagers came to her asking her if she could fix part of the hospital as damp had got into part of the building after the flash flood. Nishi was pleased to have the job and got to fix the hospital and soon became a trainee builder and not long after she had many fixing jobs to do. Then when there was no work and by now was adept builder, went round the island enjoying the beach, the pond and taking time out to relax as she liked resting as her favourite past time.

Unagi, age 13 Nanu age 13, Jak age 9 and the twins, Jem and Kaana age 8 and sometime Lenok age 11 would join them to play together. The children would run to the coconut trees and jump up to see how far they could reach them. They did miss Sake as she was there leader and now they needed to have another leader and they voted for Lenok to be their leader. Lenok was 10 Isola years old and her thought that Unagi should be their leader as she was now the oldest in the group and so Unagi who was now age just 13 was nominated as leader. Unagi was proud to be the leader, but hoped she be as good leader as Sake. Unagi kept to the same rules in the tag game as Sake and when any one who joined in she made very welcome.

The oldest villager dies

The oldest village died her name was Noa the children’s teacher and there was no elderly villagers left and Zola who was now the oldest in the tribe was nominated as the elder she was only age 53 and still young, but too old to have children and still had all her hair colour so did not feel like an elder at all. As she knew there was no one older than her had to except this title and would hold it with proud. As the population was now 114 after Noa died. She was Nanu’s gran and Nanu was very sad his gran had died as she was a good at telling stories, but been a boy he was not going to let that get to him, after all Sake was very brave when her gran died knowing she was very old and had gone to Isola haven. He was 13 and thinking that he was too old to cry now, but this did not stop the feelings he was missing her as to him, she had lived for ever. The other children knew Noa was his gran and said they were sorry that she had died. Every body went to honour the dead after she died and put flowers on the graves.

Tuna was the last to give birth to a baby the last child to be born for next 20 Isola years or more. Who she would name Zola when she was age 2. The new baby was Unagi’s baby sister and she promised to look after her baby sister as soon as she was 2. The only thing is that Unagi would be age 15 and working by the time her baby sister was old enough to walk and play. Unagi would miss the chance to play with her, that she would be too old, yet she could still look after her like her mom would. Nanu joined her to look at her new baby sister and thought she was lovely.

To be continued

Chapter 5


Sake was now 18 but realised the population was already maxed out as the huts could only hold a population of 115 the oldest villager was 55 named Zola and Tuna and Daku were the last ones to have a baby at the age of 43 and no more babies would be born until someone died. This was a harsh reality the villagers had to face. Tuna’s little girl was named Huma. Sake thought about this and she had an idea and since many woman like to have babies sometime in their life asked the guiding hand for guidance. The guiding hand agreed and that there would be a fair deal amongst the female villagers who were old enough and not yet reached 50 would be allowed to have one or two babies each. Each female would be taken off parenting and would let one of a time to have babies. However since the population is max out, the guiding hand can only do so much as who made the village only allows a max of 115 and the guiding hand promised that she Sake would be allowed to have a baby first, What about the others ask Sake I’m not the only one. Those that are older than you have already have babies and might be too old to have babies. You just work it out how long does a villager live?’
‘Sometimes in their late seventies, I will be in my late 30ties when I am able to have a child. But is there not any thing else you could do.’
‘I’m sorry it is out of my hands, I know it is disappointing, but that’s the way it is I only wished I done a better job and I regret it not making it fair on every one. I can only guide you and that’s my job. But what ever happens is out of my hands.

Sake after praying to the guiding hand now had to wish on a lucky event and maybe some of the villagers would make a boat and leave room for more babies. She had heard about such events and many villagers have gone to go back to the South shore. This has happened will before she was born.

To be continued

Chapter 6

Nanu who was at the age of 14 had been studying the herbs round the island had progressed to Adept Doctor and now that he been training for so many years, he thought he might like to farm as he liked fish. The guiding hand was not around when he decided to start a new job and got someone to show how fishing was done. It was Pana who was one of Sake’s friends as Sake was still adept farmer but, Sake was learning to be a parent at the moment and took to teaching children as she was now adept parent at the age of 21. Pana was a master farmer and was please to teach Nanu the art of fishing and told him to watch closely and he watches how Pana dived into the ocean and smoothly located a fish and whoosh, wham like a true hunter, grabbed the fish. To Nanu it looked so easy and Pana said now you try and even though he was a lot faster swimmer in the ocean than on the ground was able to dive and for a fish he saw and just like, Pana, whoosh wham, but the fish got away and he wondered what he was doing wrong.

Pana said you got the right idea, but it can’t be achieved over night. ‘It takes years to master the art of farming, but don’t give up. I’ll take this fish to the food bin and you just keep practising and I’ll come back and see how you’re getting on.’
Nanu wanted so much to catch a fish before Pana returned and he kept trying and the fish kept eluding him, whoosh, wham, missed, the shake of head ‘no’ Right here I go again and whoosh wham and missed again, and then whoosh wham and found he came up with a fish. ‘I did it, I did it, and I caught my first fish!’ just as Pana returned and said well done, Nanu.’ Pana said very pleased of his success. ‘And now you have some skill in farming, so the next time you fish should not take as long to catch one.’

Nanu careful not to lose it as he nearly did in his excitement when he first caught it. After Nanu had succeeded and sometimes failing to catch a fish, thought it was time to learn how to plant the crops and water them. So he had now become a trainee farmer. And since the guiding hand had still not looked at what he had accomplished, was determined to make it to master farmer before that. What he did not know was that he would be a master farmer before the guiding hand looked in and by then would be in his early 30ties. At the moment he was 19.

24 Isola years had gone by and no new babies were born the mushrooms were left to die and the collectables that sprung up got washed away again with the winds and tides during the last 12 years that went by. The villagers were missing the laughter of the children that use to run round the village and the tag games they use to play. When the next generation of children is born, was going to be sooner than the villagers thought.

All the friends now all made their separate ways in their careers and Nishi took several Isola years before she had mastered building and since the village was still fully populated decided to learn to fish and it was if the guiding hand had answered her wishes at the age of 41, pushed he towards getting her first skill up on the bar as a trainee farmer. Then there was a death Zola who had been an elder for 24 years, she was age 77 when she died and the first baby born was to Huma and Masao. She was age 30 and had fully mastered parenting. This was when she had rang the gong of wonder at the age of 16, and the gong granted her wisdom and she suddenly had all the knowledge about parenting and everything there is to know about children. There was no hesitation on Luna and she filled the place with a baby, before any one else could get a look in. The tribe congratulated Luna and Luna said I was given this gift of knowledge and I promised to carry out this gift in which was granted to me, with my whole heart.

It would be another 5 years before more children be born and little Joop was only age 2, who Luna had named was the only child in the village and he always felt a little bit lonely when he had no one to play with. Joop would be age 7 when he had other children to play with. But the guiding hand kept him busy picking the mushrooms round the village. Sake and sometimes Unagi would tell him stories. Sake would tell him all about the games they played and taught him about the rules and how to play tag. However Joop was a bit sad that he had no one to play this tag game with him and he wished the guiding hand would bring in some children for him to play with.

To be continued

Chapter 7

Five Isola years later several villagers died of old age and once again Luna was first to have a baby, even though the guiding hand had her down for farming. Some who died were age 80 and most were age in their late 70ties by then. The population dropped down to 108 leaving room for few more babies and to the surprised to Nishi, the guiding hand let Nishi a mate and soon was holding a baby in her arms. Before that Sake at the age of 42 also had a baby and so did Unagi who was now age 39, the mothers all walked to the beach showing the babies to the ocean and they talked about old times. They wondered if any of their children would be like them and run to the same rules in the games they use to play. They were made up now they would soon have little tiny feet running round the island again to play with little Joop. Little Joop would have to wait two more years before the babies were old enough to play with him.

After 2 years and the babies were 2 Sake named her son Leiko, he did not like swimming and would run away when ever he want near the ocean of the pond. He had a mop of brown hair just like Lenok his dad was Nonolo who had a mop of black hair. Unagi named her daughter Asia who had long auburn hair. Luna named her second baby Tatau who had black hair and Sake had another little girl who she named, Mali and also the same age Unagi had a pinked haired little girl who she named Onawa.
As son as the 4 children joined Joop to play and Joop was made up to have new friends to play with him and because he was the oldest, set the rules that Sake and Unagi taught him about a tag game and soon like their parents soon was running round playing the tag game.

As the population was down and therefore Sake wanted to have more children by this time she was 47 going on 49 and she mated with Nonolo again and she was delighted to be a mother of triplets. Sake had triplet girls with light brown hair and she named them, Chimba, City and Chirita. Sake was age 49 just before the triplets were 2 Isola years old.
Unagi had another baby after the triplets had turned age 2 and the twins had babies at the same time, one years later just before she turned 50, Sake had mated with Jak as the guiding hand had trained Jak to be a parent as the population was falling fast not that every one was dieing of old age and there were now just a few females in their late 40ties Sake was now age 49 and had her last baby at the same time Ima, Soda, Topa had twins and Baba had a baby.

When Sake’s baby was age two he was a beautiful blond baby and she named him Gin, He had it up like a Mohican hair style and he looked very cute, and he liked playing. If you watched him in the village, would be very jumpy and liked running away a lot. He did not like learning and sometimes refused to listen and learn to anyone. Even if the guiding hand tried to teach him to heal someone would keep on saying no rather than learn. To top it off he had no skills whatever. The guiding hand would have work cut out in teaching Gin something when he was old enough to work. However his cute looks would soften any ones heart, and probably getaway with it. Lala’s daughters had auburn hair and the names were Kiti and Pana. Ima's son had red hair named him Ahi, and Soda named her daughter Aika the two children were a year older than Gin at age of three. Topa named her twins also age three, Papa and Papaya. Gin had someone he liked to play with who was his age Baba’s daughter named Hula, who liked dancing, She disliked the colour blue and wondered why her mom insisted tying a blue bow in her short dark brown hair. She was glad her dress was green, yet it still had blue in it and when she was old enough to buy clothes would buy a black dress. All the children were all playing tag while the moms looked on and Lulu who was watching was nursing triplets. The triplets brought the population to 115 again. Lulu was age 38. Two years older than Huma. the youngest adult in the village. This is why the guiding hand made sure they had more babies before the were too old. Huma was not nursing a baby and she just carried on working. Yet she often waited for someone which was Jak. Since the population was now at 115 could not have a baby yet. There were 22 females that were in their 40ties and two of them in their second part of their 30ties there was by now 30 children running around. 5 of the villagers were elderly. It was time to take Jak from parenting now, as every female had a least 1 baby in the village. Therefore what was promised and, it would be fair for the next generation, a chance to have children, when they were old enough to do so.

Sake and Nishi were age 53, Unagi were age 51, and Nanu was age 50. Jak and the twins were now age 46. The twins were still young enough to have babies. Jake was now Adept parent. Kaana was nursing a baby who was fathered by Jake, after someone died. Jak was going to be a master in 3 skill as he was already a master builder and soon would master parenting and farming at the age of 46. It was a pity that there was no room to make totems so he would not be recognised as an esteemed elder. As Nisi was now age 53 and would not be having more children the guiding hand decided to grant her wish and to carry on practising parenting until she reach master, then she could go farming. The same with Jak.

Jak rings the gong

It was time to ring the gong and Jak was chosen, and as the villagers observed the gong found Jak was lucky as it granted food and the crops grew. Soon all the villagers hurried to harvest the out of season crops.

To be continued

Chapter 8

The finel years

Sake was now elderly and had many grandchildren and great grandchildren. They were able to survive on their own after the villagers learned to live without the girding hand. The guiding hand had not looked in for many Isola years and Sake knew that the guiding hand was never coming back. She felt sorry for the other villagers that lived on other parts of Isola that still needed the guiding hand’s help. The Gong was never to be ringed again. Jak was the last person to ring the gong many years ago.

The tribe thought this was best as the gong was never a good idea as it was always a gamble when one of the villagers rang the gong. They still always admired it and sometimes wished that the guiding hand had not left them. Yet Sake knew that the guiding hand was always thinking about them even though there was no way the guiding hand would be able to get back to them. Sake was glad that there had been many master parents and would pass on parenting onto their children and children’s children. As her children and her grandchildren gathered round her knew her time was up and sat by her side. Then Nanu her husband who was a few years younger told the others to leave her now as she needed her rest. Nanu sat by her side that night holding her hand. That night Sake passed away just before dawn. All the village mourned at her passing, All the tribe gathered at the graveside mourning they put flowers down and the children also honoured the dead. This took several hours as there were many villagers who loved her. Sake was age 82 when she died

Village life continued as usual, farmers farming the doctors healing the sick. There were a few things the villagers missed was buying new clothes, However the villagers found away round this and leant how to buy their own clothes, after all many of them would do the laundry. A few years later Nanu died at the age of 83 and his son Pepe buried him and many villagers came to the funeral and also put flowers on his grave. He had become an elder like Sake and many of the villagers looked up and respected them and this is why they held a special honour as they were buried. Now Sake’s and Nanu’s children carry on the rules that Sake and Nanu had put in order and over the generations the villagers told stories about them and how they give the villagers encouragement to carry on and live without a guiding hand.

The End