hired hand on the roofing crew, of Kuttenberg
“I am the best timber man Jarda has on the crew. I do the work of three grandfathers while they sit and rub their sore backs.”
Things Jacob Smith had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
the Tuesday after St Gregory, at None
Geoffrey Baker gave me the blackest look from the ground today. The old fool is still staring up at the roof like it will fall on him. If you leave a perfectly good hammer lying in the muck, someone with the strength to swing it is going to put it to work. Finders keep what they find, by the law of the market.
Nota scribaeHe spoke this very loudly, slapping his thigh.
the third day of Easter week, at Prime
They say bread is dearer this week, but I care not. Jarda knows I am the only man putting real copper pennies in his purse by keeping the pace up. I ate a whole loaf of the white bread this morning. A man with a broad chest needs his meat and grain, not like those magpies scrounging in the yard.
Mind you don't eat so much you fall off the edge.
Jarda pays us all the same, lad.
the morrow of Saint George, at Vespers
I saw Casper Wolff standing by the scaffold whining about his brother again. The man does no work. I told him he should come up and help me set the ridge beam, but he just sighed and walked off. If Jarda had any sense, he'd make me second-in-command and cast the lot of them out.
My family matters are no business of yours, you loud-mouthed whelp.
Saint Matthias's day, at Compline
I went to see Dietrich Muller at his lodgings. The poor wretch shattered his leg on the job because that fool Ulrich Wald cannot tie a decent knot. Dietrich was crying about how he'd never walk right again. I told him not to worry, for he gave me his fine adze as a gift, and I'll see it strikes good wood.
I lent it to you, Jacob! I never said it was a gift. God's wounds, bring it back.
What use has a man with a broken leg for a carpenter's adze? It's better off with me.
The knot was fine. The rope was old.
Nota scribaeDictated at the cookshop. He kept rubbing the handle of a tool on his belt.
Candlemas, at Sext
My first day on the crew, and I am already showing them how it is done. Half these men belong in the grave. I set ten shingles before the bells even rang for Terce. The foreman Jarda pointed straight at me at the market cross. He knows strength when he sees it.
Pride goes before a fall, lad. Watch your footing up there.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
I set it down for the time it takes to spit, you thieving young pup. Give it back.
Come up the ladder and take it then, grandfather.