excerpt
“So your name is Ula?”
She nodded.
“You really will be safe with all of us, although Father Finten will probably insist
you sleep apart, from now on.”
“Oh, God. I knew this would happen. … So, do you hate me now that I’m a girl?”
“Why would I hate you? I will still be your friend, if you will allow me to.”
Ula chewed her lip. “Alright, you tell the others. I’ll wait outside the lodge.”
Ula became the little sister of the group and everyone loved her. It was Father
Finten who gave the Celtic translation of her name: “Jewel of the Sea”. But Ula still
said nothing of her past. Finten and the Brothers could only surmise what Rordan
told them, “She was obviously taken as a girl slave to be sold in Thulé.”
Finten replied in almost a whisper, “That does not excuse her rough language.”
Rordan continued, “I know Father. Perhaps she speaks the way she does to appear
tough. I’m sure that girl slaves would have a hard time surviving on Norse
slave ships. They would be worth far more than boys when sold, so Captain Hjálmar
must have kept her hidden from his crew by passing her off as a boy. Then, to
keep her safe after we were blown off course from Thulé, he decided to keep her as
his personal boy slave.”
Brother Ailan sneered, “How kind of him. Ha!”
Father Finten’s habit of walking alone and talking to himself soon earned him a
reputation as a holy man or lunatic among the Natives. The Latin prayers he recited
aloud had a musical quality that intrigued many of the villagers, especially the children.
Some stopped to watch and tried mouthing the words. Father Finten thought
the Natives were praying with him and was thrilled, but when he stopped to pay
attention to their attempts, they ran away laughing. He resolved to teach them all he
could as soon as possible.
Father Finten called Rordan, Ailan and Keallach, to share his excitement. “My
dear Brothers, you know our mission in this world is to bring souls to Christ. We
must now make every effort to convert these people. Remember the Saviour’s
words: ‘Go therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.’ Brothers, we will fulfill our mission here in
this new land.”
Ailan shook his head, “How are we going to teach them when we do not even
speak their language?”
“We will learn the language or teach them to speak ours.”
“Are you going to teach them Latin?” Ula spoke out impulsively, having overheard
the conversation. They do respond to music. The children especially love
to hear Rordan sing.”
“Yes they do, Ula. Keep singing, Brother Rordan.”
“I will, Father.”
“I suggest we speak neither Norse nor Celtic except at the evening meal. We must
learn the language if we are to convert these people.”
Libros Libertad 