every new race they encounter. I was only recently able to
enlighten them that humans are not alone in the cosmos.”
Oswald
merely bowed his head and smiled broadly. David cleared his throat to call his
children’s attention to him. Almost all of them, save the youngest, turned to
their father. “Dinah, Mary, Jeremiah, and Ruth; stop staring and pay
attention.” The girls had enough sense to be embarrassed and began to blush,
but Jeremiah merely moved his shocked expression from Oswald to his father.
David gave him a stern look that had little effect.
“Brother
Oswald is a gaeder. Gaeder are one of the twelve chosen races. They look a lot
like humans, except they have longer fingers,” (Oswald raised his hands so they
all could see), “earlobes that lay completely flat against their heads,” (Oswald
then turned his head to the side to provide a better view), “and different eye
configurations.” At this, Oswald opened his eyes wide and Jeremiah scooted
forward for a better look.
Oswald
began to laugh at this and smiled even bigger. “Brother Koen, I like your boy
there; he is a curious one.”
David
smiled and softly chuckled to himself before continuing, “Gaeder are typically
farmers, but they do many different things just like humans. When their
ancestors had their time in the ‘Garden,’ they fell to temptation the same as
all the other chosen people. However, their ‘Adam’ took responsibility for his
sin, so when God cast them out of the Garden He did not curse the ground
against them. Therefore, gaeder have a way with farming that no other race can reproduce.
So here in the Crossroads we all defer to them for this task. This is also why
you will find them in nearly every kingdom.”
While the
rest of the children took in this new knowledge, Jeremiah asked, “Why do you
both keep calling each other brother? What was that language you were speaking
outside? Why did you switch to English partway through? And. . . .”
“Jeremiah,
please slow down.” Everybody turned to the new speaker. It was the Beagle who
now also sat in a chair at the table. “There is much to learn and many
questions to answer. However, you must take time to absorb your new knowledge;
otherwise it becomes useless clutter in your mind. As for your first two
questions, the gaeder are a deeply communal people and refer to everybody as
brother or sister unless they are related as father, mother, aunt, uncle, a
grandparent, and so on. To call them merely by first name or family name is
highly insulting, as they see it as an attempt to exclude them from the
community.
“Your
second question is answered thusly: your father and Brother Oswald were
speaking one of the dominant gaeder tongues. They did not switch from it to
English; I touched you and imparted a minor form of the gift of tongues. You
will now be able to speak freely with all the peoples of these lands; however,
their written languages will still be unknown unless you study them.”
As the
Beagle finished, David spoke up, “Thank you old
friend. The Gift of Tongues is not unknown here or on Earth; however, it is
more commonly used here. As you grow and use this gift more it will become more
than just a means of understanding others and being able to speak their native
languages. As we travel, we can talk more about this and the different races,
languages, and how they all interact here. There are other things to discuss
tonight. What is most important. . .”
“What is
most important is that you feed these children and provide proper
introductions.”
Once
again everybody turned. This time the new speaker was a large woman whose black
hair was pulled back into a tight bun, revealing her distinct Gaeder features.
Oswald smiled at her and bobbed his head as he softly laughed.
David
bowed to her and said, “You are correct, Sister Oswald. Where would we be
without you?”
“Hungry,”
she replied quickly, “and lacking manners.”
At this
Brother Oswald began to
enlighten them that humans are not alone in the cosmos.”
Oswald
merely bowed his head and smiled broadly. David cleared his throat to call his
children’s attention to him. Almost all of them, save the youngest, turned to
their father. “Dinah, Mary, Jeremiah, and Ruth; stop staring and pay
attention.” The girls had enough sense to be embarrassed and began to blush,
but Jeremiah merely moved his shocked expression from Oswald to his father.
David gave him a stern look that had little effect.
“Brother
Oswald is a gaeder. Gaeder are one of the twelve chosen races. They look a lot
like humans, except they have longer fingers,” (Oswald raised his hands so they
all could see), “earlobes that lay completely flat against their heads,” (Oswald
then turned his head to the side to provide a better view), “and different eye
configurations.” At this, Oswald opened his eyes wide and Jeremiah scooted
forward for a better look.
Oswald
began to laugh at this and smiled even bigger. “Brother Koen, I like your boy
there; he is a curious one.”
David
smiled and softly chuckled to himself before continuing, “Gaeder are typically
farmers, but they do many different things just like humans. When their
ancestors had their time in the ‘Garden,’ they fell to temptation the same as
all the other chosen people. However, their ‘Adam’ took responsibility for his
sin, so when God cast them out of the Garden He did not curse the ground
against them. Therefore, gaeder have a way with farming that no other race can reproduce.
So here in the Crossroads we all defer to them for this task. This is also why
you will find them in nearly every kingdom.”
While the
rest of the children took in this new knowledge, Jeremiah asked, “Why do you
both keep calling each other brother? What was that language you were speaking
outside? Why did you switch to English partway through? And. . . .”
“Jeremiah,
please slow down.” Everybody turned to the new speaker. It was the Beagle who
now also sat in a chair at the table. “There is much to learn and many
questions to answer. However, you must take time to absorb your new knowledge;
otherwise it becomes useless clutter in your mind. As for your first two
questions, the gaeder are a deeply communal people and refer to everybody as
brother or sister unless they are related as father, mother, aunt, uncle, a
grandparent, and so on. To call them merely by first name or family name is
highly insulting, as they see it as an attempt to exclude them from the
community.
“Your
second question is answered thusly: your father and Brother Oswald were
speaking one of the dominant gaeder tongues. They did not switch from it to
English; I touched you and imparted a minor form of the gift of tongues. You
will now be able to speak freely with all the peoples of these lands; however,
their written languages will still be unknown unless you study them.”
As the
Beagle finished, David spoke up, “Thank you old
friend. The Gift of Tongues is not unknown here or on Earth; however, it is
more commonly used here. As you grow and use this gift more it will become more
than just a means of understanding others and being able to speak their native
languages. As we travel, we can talk more about this and the different races,
languages, and how they all interact here. There are other things to discuss
tonight. What is most important. . .”
“What is
most important is that you feed these children and provide proper
introductions.”
Once
again everybody turned. This time the new speaker was a large woman whose black
hair was pulled back into a tight bun, revealing her distinct Gaeder features.
Oswald smiled at her and bobbed his head as he softly laughed.
David
bowed to her and said, “You are correct, Sister Oswald. Where would we be
without you?”
“Hungry,”
she replied quickly, “and lacking manners.”
At this
Brother Oswald began to
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