Frella let down her hair. Carefully she took out the precious scarf Queen Yolanda gave her. With great care she tied it around her golden locks.
Imagine me, looking like a queen! I hope Thames likes it.
She stepped out from behind the screen.
"Well look at ye."
Frella smiled.
"Thames, what is that stick for?"
Thames looked sheepish.
"I was going to go fishing....if ye don't mind."
In a very small voice she asked, "will ye teach me?"
He stared, slack jawed.
"Oh....ye wanted to fish alone..."
"I'm jest surprised. I thought all peasants knew how to fish. Come along Frella, I'll teach ye."
Frella followed him, bouncing a little as she walked.
"The first part is dirty business, finding worms."
"Oh! I know about that."
Frella flipped over a rock and then held up a worm triumphantly.
"Well I'll be..."
They spent the next several hours fishing. Thames caught several, but Frella not one.
Thames line jerked again, wildly. Frella gawked at this catch.
"This is a big one! We will feast tonight Frella!"
"Why does that one look different?"
"This is a catfish."
"Why is it called that?"
"Don't ye see?"
"Because cats like to eat it?"
"Thames laughed. I suppose they do."
He turned the fish so she could look upon its face.
"See now? It looks like it has whiskers, like a cat."
Frella giggled.
"Meow," he said, opening the fishes mouth. "Meow, meow."
Frella laughed, stumbling backward and landing with a thump upon the grass. Her fishing line came right out of the water.
"Frella, no wonder ye haven't caught a fish."
"Because of ye? Making me laugh so hard?"
"No, because there be a thief in these waters."
Frella pulled her feet under her skirts reflexively. She hugged her knees and stared at the water.
"Don't worry Frella, not that kind. Look at this line. It were a thief with fins what stole yer worm. He came upon it all sly and ate it clean away."
Frella stared at where the worm had been.
"Have ye had enough?"
"I want to keep fishing until I catch one. But if yer hungry..."
"We can keep fishing."
Frella eagerly sought another worm.
"Here, let me put that on fer ye."
"Ach! Thames! Ye put the hook right through the worm."
"Frella...how did ye put it on?
"I kind of tied the end of the line round it."
"That made it real easy for the thief."
Frella made a face.
Thames laughed.
"I'll put the worms on fer ye so ye won't have to spear any worms."
After sunset Frella was ready to tell Thames she'd kept him from dinner long enough. Then suddenly she felt a great tug on her pole.
"Thames, look!"
He smiled at her.
"Shall I cook up yer prize fish?"
"No, I'll smoke it to take home. He tossed her a few of the fish. We'll eat well tonight Frella!"
Frella beamed.
By the time Thames got the fish set up for smoking Frella was just serving up the fish.
Frella was thrilled to see Thames eat several fish.
"Ye like it?"
"Yes, and yer fish was the best."
"As if ye know which one."
"It was the second one."
Frella smiled, he was right.
"Nothing light eating out under the stars eh Frella?" He sighed happily. "It's the gypsy life fer me."
Frella picked up the dishes. She washed them in the lake. It was rather peaceful. When her work was done Thames was already inside the wagon. Frella stepped inside.
"I thought I'd let ye get in bed first."
"I thought I'd please ye Thames."
"Ye do please me."
"Please ye."
"Frella, I'd rather wait. It's been a few days...but ye might get sore if it's so soon."
Frella was surprised. A man considering her needs? Caring if he caused her pain? She felt more determined than ever to please him. A good husband ought to be rewarded.
"If yer going to treat me so good Thames, I must treat ye in stride."
"Frella, no. I don't want to make ye cry again."
"I can please ye without worry of that."
Thames paused.
"I don't know quite what ye mean."
Frella smiled slyly.
"What are ye doing?"
"I'd rather show ye than tell ye."
Imagine me, looking like a queen! I hope Thames likes it.
She stepped out from behind the screen.
Frella smiled.
"Thames, what is that stick for?"
Thames looked sheepish.
"I was going to go fishing....if ye don't mind."
In a very small voice she asked, "will ye teach me?"
He stared, slack jawed.
"Oh....ye wanted to fish alone..."
"I'm jest surprised. I thought all peasants knew how to fish. Come along Frella, I'll teach ye."
Frella followed him, bouncing a little as she walked.
"The first part is dirty business, finding worms."
"Oh! I know about that."
Frella flipped over a rock and then held up a worm triumphantly.
"Well I'll be..."
They spent the next several hours fishing. Thames caught several, but Frella not one.
Thames line jerked again, wildly. Frella gawked at this catch.
"Why does that one look different?"
"This is a catfish."
"Why is it called that?"
"Don't ye see?"
"Because cats like to eat it?"
"Thames laughed. I suppose they do."
He turned the fish so she could look upon its face.
"See now? It looks like it has whiskers, like a cat."
Frella giggled.
"Meow," he said, opening the fishes mouth. "Meow, meow."
Frella laughed, stumbling backward and landing with a thump upon the grass. Her fishing line came right out of the water.
"Frella, no wonder ye haven't caught a fish."
"Because of ye? Making me laugh so hard?"
"No, because there be a thief in these waters."
Frella pulled her feet under her skirts reflexively. She hugged her knees and stared at the water.
"Don't worry Frella, not that kind. Look at this line. It were a thief with fins what stole yer worm. He came upon it all sly and ate it clean away."
Frella stared at where the worm had been.
"Have ye had enough?"
"I want to keep fishing until I catch one. But if yer hungry..."
"We can keep fishing."
Frella eagerly sought another worm.
"Here, let me put that on fer ye."
"Ach! Thames! Ye put the hook right through the worm."
"Frella...how did ye put it on?
"I kind of tied the end of the line round it."
"That made it real easy for the thief."
Frella made a face.
Thames laughed.
"I'll put the worms on fer ye so ye won't have to spear any worms."
After sunset Frella was ready to tell Thames she'd kept him from dinner long enough. Then suddenly she felt a great tug on her pole.
He smiled at her.
"Shall I cook up yer prize fish?"
"No, I'll smoke it to take home. He tossed her a few of the fish. We'll eat well tonight Frella!"
Frella beamed.
By the time Thames got the fish set up for smoking Frella was just serving up the fish.
Frella was thrilled to see Thames eat several fish.
"Ye like it?"
"Yes, and yer fish was the best."
"As if ye know which one."
"It was the second one."
Frella smiled, he was right.
"Nothing light eating out under the stars eh Frella?" He sighed happily. "It's the gypsy life fer me."
Frella picked up the dishes. She washed them in the lake. It was rather peaceful. When her work was done Thames was already inside the wagon. Frella stepped inside.
"I thought I'd please ye Thames."
"Ye do please me."
"Please ye."
"Frella, I'd rather wait. It's been a few days...but ye might get sore if it's so soon."
Frella was surprised. A man considering her needs? Caring if he caused her pain? She felt more determined than ever to please him. A good husband ought to be rewarded.
"If yer going to treat me so good Thames, I must treat ye in stride."
"Frella, no. I don't want to make ye cry again."
"I can please ye without worry of that."
Thames paused.
"I don't know quite what ye mean."
Frella smiled slyly.
"I'd rather show ye than tell ye."
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