woodcutter at the quarry
“I am just a villager keeping his head down, Lord knows. I do an honest day's work and ask no favours from anyone.”
Things William had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
the Monday before Whitsun, at Vespers
Alice brought me terrible news. Father Michael sent word from Kuttenberg that if I do not pay the four groschen and six pennies I owe for my Easter dues by the feast of Saint John, he will read my name from the pulpit. Lord knows I have not seen four groschen together since my brother Havel died.
Nota scribaeThe man chewed his lip so fiercely while speaking that I feared he would bite it clean off.
the Tuesday after Easter, at Sext
I swung my wood-axe all morning clearing brush down the slope. A man gets a sore back from it, and hunger besides. I will have to make do with stream water and one of Alice's hard loaves tonight, if she has any left.
Keep the brush cleared and the vagrants away, and I will see you get a few pennies before Sunday.
the feast of St Benedict, at Prime
The frost is bitter up at the workings. If not for my late brother Havel's old coat, I would freeze to the moss. Lord knows I sold our father's tools just to pay for his spot in the churchyard, so he can spare me the cloth.
A dead man's coat keeps out the wind just as well as a living man's, aye.
the eve of St Gregory, at None
Some drifters came sniffing around the old quarry today. I showed them my axe and told them Julian owns this patch, and they made off down the road. It is quiet again. I like the quiet up here.
They came past the camp later. They looked like they had not eaten a hot meal since Christmas.
Nota scribaeHe kept his eyes firmly fixed on my boots the entire time he spoke.
Candlemas, at Terce
There is nothing but soldiers on the roads and deep snow in the woods. But I found a fat hare in my snare this morning, praise be. It will be the first meat I have tasted since the winter began.
Nota scribaeHe lowered his voice to a faint whisper when speaking of the snare.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
I only passed on what was said, William. You had best find some coin before he returns.