Jarvit

Jarvit Ch6 p1

Chapter Six

‘Ere Slats which come first the chicken or the egg?’ Jarvit smiled and Bender dug him in the ribs as they went about picking up sticks for the fire. Jarvit had become used to Stretcher’s sudden philosophical questions.

         ‘Well it has to be the egg really don’ it?’ Slats replied after standing and thinking for a moment.

Jarvit had been with the bodgers for several weeks now. They were living in domed shelters made of woven withies, not unlike Quilp’s house. The clearing where they were based was set deep in a wood. There were four chair makers who lived and worked there all year round. Jarvit and the three bodgers had been welcomed warmly as they had walked into the camp one mid afternoon.

         ‘Eh, look who it isn’t!’

         ‘The Worthy’s gift to chair making. Good to see you! Boys! Come and have a brew with the bodgers!’ The workmen soon gathered and they all sat around the fire drinking tea, swapping news and joking. Jarvit made the mistake of grimacing as he bit into one of the flat cakes he was offered. A chair maker flung his mug to the ground.

         ‘That’s it! Someone else can cook!’

         ‘Now Florrie, don’t take on so. The lad didn’t know any better. You know you are the best cook here!’ But the offended man marched off back to the adze he had been using earlier and chopped away at a seat bottom as though he wished it were dead.

         ‘Best leave him. Bender what about you taking over as cook?’

         ‘But he’s the bender and these chairs are wanted. If he stops to cook we’ll get behind again,’ protested one of the others.

         ‘Ils?’ Everyone groaned at this.

         ‘Why not get the lad to do it. After all, he annoyed Florrie. He can’t be any worse than Ils so he’d be a darn sight better’n the rest of us. Can you cook boy?’

         ‘Cook! He’s our chef!’ Bender said before Jarvit had a chance to protest. ‘Why do you think he comes along with us then?’

         ‘We did wonder, you three being such a tight team an’ all,’ said Ils, ‘That settles it then. The boy cooks. What’s your name boy?’

         ‘Stew,’ said Bender before Jarvit could speak, ‘Stew because-’

         ‘That’s what he’s best at!’ chorused the others.

‘So you think it’s the egg, eh? What led you to that conclusion? I have pondered this myself for some time and have not been able to come up with an answer,’ Stretcher sounded impressed.

         ‘Yeh, well it was Stew what provided the answer,’ Slats replied.

         ‘Me?’ Jarvit was caught by surprise.

         ‘Young man I did not realised that you were also a thinker pondering on the mysteries of life.’ Stretcher came across and shook his hand. Jarvit was puzzled.

         ‘Oh no it wasn’t that he told me the answer, it come to me ‘cause of his cooking see. When Stew here goes to cook dinner he leaves off work a lot earlier n’ the rest of us and it takes ages to get ready. Especially if it’s spit roasted chicken. But breakfast he does in five minutes, fried eggs all round. Ips so fat so, you would get an egg long before you would get a chicken.’ Bender and Jarvit laughed.