Trafika Europe 14 - Italian Piazza

The Saga of Redhead

Church, they noticed a l ittle cradle at the door. At the foot of this cradle was a parchment with these words written on it: “He who is the father of my chi ld wi l l see to its baptism.” The priest l ifted the coverlet of the cradle, and inside lay a chi ld with a rich cropping of red hair. He asked whether any of the people in the church knew of this chi ld. No one admitted any knowledge, though many eyes fel l on Thorgeir, for the infant was the very image of him. “Do you know aught of this, Thorgeir?” the priest at last asked. Thorgeir shook his head vigorously. Almost immediately, a young woman walked into the Church. She had raven tresses down almost to her knees and was tal l and stately, albeit somewhat stern of favor. She pointed to Thorgeir, saying, “This is your chi ld, Redhead, and you promised to have it christened if I brought it to Church…” “I made no such promise,” Thorgeir declared. “Do you not acknowledge this chi ld as your own?” Thorgeir backed away, his hands raised as though to ward off some evi l power. He said: “I acknowledge nothing in your presence, you witch!” “And you say this after I tended and cared for you?

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