Chapter 242 Primitive Beast World Cubs 17
The lesson began, and Shen Ci first gave Cangye a small lump of clay.
"Come on, first do as your mother does, put it in your palm and gently roll it into a ball."
She slowed down her movements and patiently demonstrated.
Cangye studied very hard, but his little paws were not as good as human fingers, and he had never done such delicate work before. The first mud ball was pitted and bumpy after he kneaded it. He looked at Chen Ci with some frustration.
"It's okay, everyone's like this the first time," Shen Ci encouraged.
"Take your time and feel the soil in your hands."
Under Shen Ci's hands-on guidance, Cang Ye gradually got the hang of it.
Shen Ci taught him the coiling method: first, roll the clay into even strips, then coil them upwards in circles, while simultaneously using your hands to wet them and smooth the inside and outside, ensuring the clay strips are tightly bonded together.
This ancient method has been passed down from a very distant era. It is simpler and more refined.
Shen Ci herself was responsible for making the large earthenware pot for cooking. She first made a thick, round bottom, and then used the same coiling method to build it up layer by layer, gradually narrowing the rim.
She only asked that it be sturdy, leak-proof, and functional; she didn't care how beautiful it was.
Cangye focused intently on making his little bowl. He worked very slowly and carefully, occasionally smoothing out the cracks with water and adjusting the shape.
When a crooked, small bowl appeared in his hand, he was so excited that his ears trembled, and he carefully presented it to Shen Ci.
"Good job, sweetie! You did a great job!"
Shen Ci praised Cangye generously, and with the affirmation, Cangye became even more motivated. He started trying to make even bigger bowls. He had a lot of hair and preferred to eat from a large bowl rather than a small bamboo tube.
So this time, he's going to make himself a bowl big enough to hold all the food!
The mother and son worked for a whole afternoon, and a pile of semi-finished products were laid out in front of them: a large earthenware jar, a medium-sized earthenware vat for holding water, several bowls of different sizes, as well as the small bowl and oddly shaped cup that Cang Ye had made.
And then there's his enormous rice bowl, almost the size of a basin, which is a testament to his imagination.
Next, the clay blanks need to be air-dried, a process that takes a while. Shen Ci carefully moved all the clay blanks to a well-ventilated and dark place in the cave.
"They need to be left to dry here for a few days until they are completely dry before they can be put into the fire to burn."
If you burn it before it's completely dry, it will crack with a bang.
She explained to Cangye that she planned to teach him this skill completely, starting him from a young age so that he would gradually become proficient as he grew up.
Cang Ye nodded, seemingly understanding, but not quite. He remembered that if it wasn't completely dry, it would crack. He would run over to check on his big bowl and small cup several times a day, clearly looking forward to it and wanting to be there for them every single day.
There's no competition here, no need to learn cultural knowledge, just enough to survive. Cang Ye is quite interested in this kind of handicraft work and enjoys it very much.
After the clay body is shaped, it needs to be air-dried. After air-dried, it needs to be fired. Actually, it can be made a little rougher, but now that Shen Ci has the time and resources, he wants to do it well the first time and make it more durable.
"My dear, shaping the clay is called molding, and the process of waiting for it to dry completely is called air drying."
Before they dry, we need to make a stove that will make them sturdy.
Shen Ci would try his best to make sure the little wolf cub could understand what to do, how to do it, and why to do it.
Without hesitation, Shen Ci chose a flat and sheltered spot outside the cave.
The materials for building the earthen kiln were readily available stones and clay. She directed Cangye to help move appropriately sized stones, while she used a stone hoe and bamboo basket to retrieve the highly adhesive yellow clay that she had brought back when she discovered the clay.
After construction began, Shen Ci first used large stones to build a circular foundation about half a meter in diameter. This was the firebox, the place where the fire was lit.
Next, she mixed yellow mud with water to make a thick slurry, and like building a wall, she built the kiln wall layer by layer on the stone base.
When the kiln walls reached waist height, she began to taper them inward, forming a dome-shaped kiln chamber. Below the kiln chamber, she left several firewood inlets and ventilation openings.
It's handmade and not very refined, but it's definitely good enough. As Shen Ci worked on it, he wondered if he could use it to bake bread or make jerky.
"We need to leave a hole here, otherwise the fire will go out."
While she was busy, she explained things to the curious Cangye.
Shen Ci carefully covered the top of the kiln with several thin stone slabs, leaving gaps between the slabs to allow smoke to escape. She meticulously smoothed the gaps inside and outside the entire kiln with yellow mud slurry to ensure its airtightness and sturdiness.
"Alright, this is the earthen kiln."
Shen Ci wiped the sweat from her forehead. This earthen kiln, made of stone and mud, looked very rough, but it had all the necessary structures. With sufficient theoretical knowledge, she could make it after a few more trials. She was very satisfied.
"Now, we just have to wait for it to dry slowly along with our clay blanks."
Over the next few days, all that was needed was patience. Shen Ci would check the drying of the clay blanks and the kiln every day.
The clay blanks were placed in a cool, well-ventilated place inside the cave, and their color gradually changed from dark to light, and their texture changed from moist and soft to hard.
The little wolf cub would run to check on the little bowl he made several times a day. He would gently touch it and find that it was getting harder every day. He was very curious to see what his mud would eventually turn into.
Sunlight and a gentle breeze will harden these clay bricks, and the mud will slowly solidify, becoming more and more solid.
A few days later, Shen Ci got up very early; she couldn't wait any longer!
Arriving at the place where the clay blanks were placed, I bent my fingers and tapped the clay blanks. A crisp tapping sound came from inside. After checking the earthen kiln, I found that the clay inside had completely dried and hardened.
Shen Ci immediately made the announcement.
"The time has come, sweetie! Today, we're going to turn this mud into real pottery!"
Cangye immediately followed behind her excitedly. He didn't know what pottery was, but he was happy to do anything with his mother.
I don't understand, but I'll obey.
The two carefully carried the completely dried, lightweight pottery out of the cave. The pottery was already quite hard. They transported it to the earthen kiln.
Shen Ci put the pottery into the earthen kiln, which was still slightly cool.
To ensure better firing, large earthenware jars and vats should be placed in the center, while smaller bowls and cups should be placed around them, ensuring that there are enough gaps to allow hot air to circulate.
After arranging the firewood, Shen Ci began adding the prepared firewood to the firebox, starting with easily ignitable dry grass and twigs. She lit the tinder with a lighter, and soon orange-red flames leaped up.
A lighter is a good thing.
Cang Ye kept staring at the flames; he still found fire quite magical.
"Look, the fire is still small. We need to let the kiln and the pottery inside heat up slowly. We can't rush it."
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