Medieval English Tale

Slessor is the maternal grandmother of Alice. She lived in the eastern city of Wigan. In the early part of the year when the weather is looks a little friendly, she went into the woods to pick mushrooms. Alice, being the only child with her grandma, she cried in anticipation to follow her. 

Grandma Slessor beckoned on her to follow. The fog in the woods made it difficult for both to see farther than necessary. So, the picked as much mushrooms as possible.

Alice picked the some more and took a little step away from Slessor. She she bent to pluck a fresh and bug mushroom, she found a glittering ring. She picked it up and hid it in the chest pocket of her flying gown. 

As they got home, Alice ran into her room and brought out the ring from her chest pocket with the door bolted from behind. She perused the beautiful ring and saw that it had a diamond stud on the pendant. 

It must cost a fortune.

Alice though as she made for her portmanteau to keep the assumed treasure. 

That night, they had a wonderful mushroom soup with cornflour. Alice ate with so much happiness that grandma Slessor noticed it. She devoured the food with so vigour. 

Everyone retired to their rooms after supper. Instead of sleeping, Alice kept wondering how she would sell of the ring and make some money to build a bigger home and buy a cart for the family. As this thought culminated in her mind, a bright light shone from the portmanteau. 

She has never witnessed such before. Fear gripped her. She wanted to sink into the bed but that could not happen. She just laid in bed like a log of wood waiting for the worst to happen. 

The metal box flung opened with two images like fairies holding hands flee gently towards Alice. 

You are the chosen one. You'd be appointed at daybreak at the Duke's palace to serve as the county yard doctor. 

After this saying, the fairies went back into the ring. And Alive kept her eyes wide opened throughout the night. She couldn't sleep. 

In the morning, a bang at the door woke them up even though Alice's eye could not close throughout the night, Slessor walked to the door to answer the bang. 

Alice knew they had come to her like the prophesy of the fairies. She quickly went to the portmanteau to pick the ring and change into a neater gown. 

At The Door

Two men, dressed in the regalia of palace guards were standing. Grandma came out of the house and asked what they wanted. 

Your grand-daughter's, Alice attention is needed by the Duke in the palace with the elders-in-council waiting to receive her. 

She ran inside with a double mind. 

What has Alice done that the entire county is waiting for her?

As grandma approached Alice's room, she met her at the doorpost already dressed up to join the men.

Grandma, you have not to worry. I will be just fine. Get ready, we are moving from this hamlet to the palace. 

She said as she made for the door to join the men outside.

It's going to be her first time to step into the hugely built palace they had only walked through the frontage but today, things have changed. Alice walked as the two men followed from behind. 

As she entered the council chambers, everyone excluding the Duke rose from their seats to pay homage. She got confused. No one had told her what she was there for.

Just then, the county divine took to the stage to announce that Alice from henceforth would be the most preferred palace caregiver. 

A silver coloured bangle was worn on her hand as the emblem of her office. Yet, in all these, Alice was still confused. She doesn't know what to do as either a nurse or a caregiver. 

On her first day in service, sh approached the Duke requesting that her grandmother be brought to live in the palace. 

Quickly, the duke ordered that her request be granted. A large entourage went to the east to bring grandmother Slessor with them. 

On their way back, the found a large crowd of people wailing and crying the outbreak of a fungi disease that is claiming the lives of teenagers and all effort my the public medical team had failed to control the outbreak. 

On reaching the palace, the entourage told the Duke about the fungi outbreak. This disturbed the Duke so much that he couldn't eat his supper. 

When Alice noticed it, she inquired of the Duke what had happened to him that a sumptuous meal now smells like faeces to him. 

After the Duke had told Alice what was happening to the teenage citizens of Wigan, she reassured the Duke their by morning, there will be a way out of it all. By this, the Duke are to his fill and had a sound sleep.

That very night, Alice went to join grandma Slessor in her cubicle at the quarters assigned to her. There, the fairies appeared again and told her to make a mixture of garlic and grace water for the infected teenagers. 

The next morning, she made the mixture and walked tot he Duke who gave order that the concoction by made in large quantity and administered to all the sick. In minutes, everyone who was infected became well. That was the first feat of Alice as a caregiver. 

From that moment, the poor clan of Slessor were gifted a large expanse of land and a castle was built. The clan became natural caregivers and their women were not married away from castle but marry men into the castle and all became caregivers who served at Wigan or outside the city walls. 

After the demise of grandmother Slessor, Alice was made the Duchess of Wigan with a written constitution that the Duchess must crown the Duke. And that is how it is done till this day. 

Lead Image