Chapter 45 The Legend of the Bluebells
“And the legend I am going to tell you is related to the nine-flowered bluebells.
Unfortunately, the details of this legend have been lost, and I only know the ending of the legend—which was told to me by my grandmother.
The old woman squinted her gray eyes and smiled as she recalled the past. The little boy also put down the straw weaving in his hands and listened to the old woman's story wholeheartedly.
According to legend, a bellflower with nine wind chimes is a symbol of luck. If you can find a bellflower with nine wind chimes, you will be blessed with happiness and longevity!
However, since nine-bell bells are not available, people usually use sun-dried bells as a substitute and weave them together with mangul fruit into straw wind chimes to pray for good luck for the year.”
Fiona opened her lake-blue eyes wide when she heard this and asked the old woman curiously.
"Old woman, have you ever found the bluebells with nine bells?"
"The nine-bell bellflower..."
As if Fiona's question triggered some memories, a happy smile appeared on the old woman's face, and her voice became a little hoarse.
"I have been weaving straw all my life, and I have only seen it once when I was young!"
“You know what, little girl? Actually, we are not originally residents of Karlas, but come from a small mountain village dozens of kilometers away.
During a beast tide, our village was destroyed. As a last resort, my husband, I and our three children came to Kalaras.
In order to make a living, my husband chose to become a glorious city guard.
I picked up the straw weaving skill that I learned from my grandmother, and made some small things in my spare time after doing housework. I would then take the finished products to the market to exchange for money to support my family.
I had a hard time during that short period of time, but it was also the happiest time of my youth.
But beautiful things are always very fragile. Three years later, during a Warcraft invasion, my husband had his throat ripped open by a wind wolf.
As compensation, we were given official status as residents of Karlas and a place to live in the lower town.
Although I lost him, life went on and the children still needed my care. But my straw weaving skills were not very good at that time, and my daily income was not much, which was not enough for living.
For a long time, the whole family could only eat two meals a day, and the eldest daughter had to go out to do some odd jobs to supplement the family income..."
At this point, the old woman couldn't help but sigh.
"One afternoon in the golden month of that year, I was collecting grass in the fields outside the city under the scorching sun.① But the originally clear sky became overcast in a few minutes. Soon, heavy rain began to pour down.
I had no choice but to run towards a small hill covered with trees, carrying a basket of grass on my head, hoping to find shelter from the rain.
But because I ran too fast, I tripped over a stone and fell heavily into the mud. My clothes were covered with mud, the cold rain soaked my whole body, and the grass in the basket was scattered all over the ground.
For a moment, I really wanted to just lie on the ground and never get up again—
But I can't do that, my three daughters are waiting for me at home.
I gritted my teeth and climbed up, braving the heavy rain, and collected the spilled hay into the basket bit by bit. Fortunately, the rainstorm came and went quickly, and the sun soon appeared from the clouds again.
On the way back, I passed by a large rock. Then something shiny caught my eye. "
As she spoke, the old woman's tone began to rise.
"In that crack in the rock, I saw it—
The emerald green stems are like gems, sparkling with crystal water droplets, and the white flowers hang from the stems, swaying in the wind like real wind chimes.
I remember that scene very clearly.
There were exactly nine of them, not one more, not one less!
At that time, I was in a hurry to get home and didn't think too much about it. I just thought that this grass was very eye-catching.
It was not until the Frost-Falling Moon of that year, when I sorted out my grandmother's belongings, that I remembered the legend again, but the grass had already withered and died. ② In the Red Rain Moon of the following year, I went there again, but this time, its number of flowers was the normal twelve. ③ "I often regretted that time. If I had remembered the legend at that time, I would have picked it. It should have sold for a lot of money, which could have improved our family conditions.
But later on, my straw weaving skills improved again, more and more people came to buy my products, and my living conditions gradually improved.
Moreover, in the annual professional talent testing, my second daughter and youngest daughter were also successively tested to have professional talents.
Although it is not high, it is enough to enter the professional academy. The eldest daughter also married a good husband and lived a happy life. "
At this point, the old man raised his face, his eyes narrowed in laughter, and deep in his wrinkles, there was an incomparably deep and peaceful satisfaction.
"Now that I think about it, this ending is not bad. Even though I didn't pick it, I still found it after all—"
As she was speaking, the old woman seemed to suddenly realize something and looked at the two of them again with a hint of apology in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, young ladies, for taking up so much of your time. As we get older, we tend to become wordy..."
"No, old woman, thank you for your story."
Fiona, who was somewhat engrossed in listening to the story, came back to her senses and shook her head quickly when she heard the old woman's words, but she had already made a decision in her heart.
She held up the straw wind chime and motioned for Annie to pay.
Then she took the bunch of fruits back from Anne, smiled at the little boy who was peeking at her, and put the bunch of fruits into his hands with her slender white-gloved hands—she noticed the boy's previous gaze.
"Here, take it and eat it."
Anne was hesitant to speak after watching this scene. Although she liked the kindness of the eldest lady, as the little princess of Olivendi, she should not have too much interaction with ordinary people.
Finally, Anne sighed and decided to pretend she didn't notice her young lady's inappropriate behavior.
After all, she was just a little half-elf maid.
"Thank you, sister..."
Holding the bunch of fruit, the little boy's face turned red, he seemed a little shy, and hurriedly thanked Fiona.
Fiona was stunned for a moment, then she giggled, feeling very fresh about being called sister - she had never been called that before.
"May the gods bless you, kind little girl."
The old woman also smiled in gratitude.
Fiona smiled and nodded to the old man, then left the stall with Annie. As the two girls watched in gratitude, the slender figures of the two girls gradually disappeared into the dazzling sunlight at the other end of the alley.
In the distance, the conversation between the little boy and the old man could be faintly heard.
"Grandma, I will be old enough next year. When the adults in the academy come to test my talent, I will definitely pass the test and become a mage! Then, the straw weaving you make will really move, and it will definitely sell well!"
"Okay, little Roach, grandma, I will definitely wait for that day——"
………
①: August ②: October ③: April (End of this chapter)
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