Intro
This is the 79th story in the Smallville Series and takes us back east to the vicinity of the railroad there. The story tells the tale of a band of gypsies who came from the Green Woods and set up camp outside a small settlement across the river to the north of the railroad town of Ironwood (story 72). The story begins in year 70 SVT.
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Map seed #160621676 Valley One River, Small, Fair, Disasters Off, Easy Seeds-8 Families
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Mods activated for this map and load order are:
Map Changing and Starting Mods: Banished UI Maps, Labor Window, RK Minimized Status, CC Light Rain, Lush & Green, override maps, Settler Deco, A8 Japanese Trees, Kid Tree Replacer Fairy, Kid New Flora Edit, New Trees, Family Start
Tweak Mods: Bigger Wheelbarrows, Fishing Dock +25%, Hunting, Increased CC, 1:1 Alternative (Voeille), override Fairy Clothes, Rocks Respawn, Tiny Smoke, Woodcutter +3
Major or Must Have Mods: An Empty Square, Nomads (Kid), override Uneducated, Storage Crates, Jinxie Festival Park, Kid Abandoned Places SE, Kid Fairy Garden, Kid Gypsy Fantasy (new, testing), Kid Old Town, Kid Tiny, Kid Tiny Downtown, Kid Workplace
Supporting Mods: Idle Small Fishing Dock, I See Fire, Kid Deco Farm Animals, Kid Deco People, Kid Farmyard, Kid Hedgerow, Kid Jam & Wine (update, testing), Kid Market Foods, Kid Mountain Mansion, Kid Washing Mod, Kid Work Shop
Welcome to our camp, weary traveler. I was expecting you. Some time ago I saw your coming in my crystal ball. What's that you say? "The future's not ours to see"? Who told you that nonsense? Ah, yes, the little dark elf twit who fell in love with the stick man. What do elves know? They hug trees and summon little fairies to do their work. And love? What do they know of love and passion, they have no gypsy blood. I am gypsy, I know. Come, sit by the fire. Have a cup of tea. I will tell you a gypsy love story before I tell you about our gyspy camp. Then I will tell you your fortune by reading the tea leaves left in your cup.
Chapter 1
Yes, weary traveler, it was love at first sight between the gypsy and his lady. We knew he was coming; Ette drew the Lovers card from the tarot deck several times in a row. She was the only daughter of the railroad baron who built a castle in Ironwood's south valley. Her father arranged a marriage for her but we knew that was not going to happen. We gypsies had a small camp in the foothills northeast of Ironwood in the Green Woods. We did quite well there gathering wild foods and raising a few goats. We borrowed anything else we needed from Ironwood's far work camp. The baron's daughter came to visit us often to have her fortune told and to talk. Her mother died when she was young. She did not want to marry the man her father had chosen for her.
The girl was in our camp the day the gypsy came over the hill from the north. There was a natural land bridge across the main river, a stone arch by the end of the mountain ridge. The sound of his whistling and singing rang out across the valley as he approached. The girl was captivated from the start. She ran to meet him. He knew instantly she was the one he came to find. She knew he was the lover the Tarot cards predicted. She did not hesitate to run off with him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93oVQt82O-A
Her father was dismayed that she ran off with a gypsy rover. He went after her but soon returned alone. Shortly after, we received a message to join her across the river. We did not hesitate to go either. We knew there would be trouble there in Ironwood between the elves, the tree fellows, and that baron if he cut any more trees in the south valley and built anything more. We left our old gyspy wagons behind, packed our belongings in small carts, and crossed the river. We found the Gypsy Rover's settlement at the north end of a very green valley.
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Chapter 2
The gypsy's name is Marvid. We learned that when the gypsy came here from the Green Woods he found seven young families struggling to survive. They were living in some rundown shacks and storing supplies in carts. They were gathering branches for firewood from the hedgerow along with hazelnuts, wild oats, mushrooms, and asparagus. They were gathering more mushrooms and apples until the wild boar took over the patch by the apple tree. They had a small farmyard with pear trees and berry bushes where they grew cabbage, brussels, and squash. Their few sheep and chickens were roaming free. They frequently lost chickens to foxes and other predators.
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The families too thought he was just another gypsy rover but soon changed their minds. He settled with them and got right to work helping them build a large store house, a forester, and a woodcutter. He whistled and he sang as he worked and the families' lives became a bit easier and more cheerful. They insisted he build himself a fine mansion by the river before he did anything else.
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I wonder what other adventures are to be predicted by the tarot cards - for the girl and the others, for there are times when we see in the cards what we want to see, not what is actually there.
The purple bushes are so pretty! Where are they from?
@jerica Those purple lilac bushes are in an old CC mod called New Trees. I don't know if it is still available on that site. Sorry, can't attach file here.
Chapter 3
By summer, farmhouses were being built for the families. A chicken coop was built alongside one of them. Hopefully the coop and the fence around the hedgerow would help protect the chickens. The fence would also keep the little boarlets from roaming too far from their mothers.
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The sheep were also fenced into a farmyard behind the storehouse. The sheep could be taken inside on the worst rainy and snowy days. The farmyard was planted with oats, potatoes, and carrots.
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The gypsy rover had been doing some planted too. He built wooden support fences for the grapevines he planted in the clearing behind his mansion. There would not only be music but there would be wine.
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Chapter 4
By early spring of year 2, a house had been built for the woodcutter and one for the foresters. A tiny hunter lodge and a nearby house for the family was built. A farmhouse was built behind the storehouse. Another farmyard was fenced in next to the first one. It would grow berries, corn, cabbage, and potatoes. Some of the chickens were moved to this farmyard and another chicken coop was built there. There were a lot of baby spring chickens hatch that year. The families all had new houses, but some of the old shacks that were abandoned had not been emptied or demolished yet.
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The gypsy's grape vines were doing well and had produced the first grapes of the spring season. Marvid decided it was time he do some roving and find himself a bride. He came from the Green Woods and he knew it was there he would find his lady. He came to Ironwood and "he whistled and he sang until the Green Woods rang ." He met Ette and it was love at first sight, and "he won the heart of a lady". She left her father's castle and she left her life behind and ran off with the gypsy rover. We followed right behind like they asked us to.
True love wins the day
:) yes, it does :)
Chapter 5
We left Ironwood and crossed the river, we went over the hill and saw the gypsy's valley before us. It was very green and had more than just pine trees like the Green Woods we left behind. We could see birch trees, and in the distance, there were many springlike flowering trees and shrubs as well.
We chose a clearing just south of where foresters were busy cutting and planting more trees. We roped off an area for our horses and our goats. We left our carts nearby and made our way to town. There were 15 of us, 13 adults and 2 children.
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We were just in time to celebrate the marriage of the gypsy and his lady, Marvid and Ette. They greeted us warmly and wanted to know if they would be happy. I said I did not need a crystal ball, tarot card deck, or cup of tea leaves to know they would be happy together, forever and always.
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A small park was set up for the day of the ceremony but the celebration lasted for 3 weeks. There was pork roasting on a large spit and nearby tables were kept filled with plates of fruits and vegetables to go with it. There was a large cake in the small park and next to it were two half-barrels where women were taking turns stooping the grapes into fine gypsy wedding wine. Yes, there was music and there was wine to celebrate the joining together of the gypsy and his lady.
I haven't seen pork roasting on a large spit before - I imagine that is something new?
@Glenn No, pork on spit is not new. Kid Market Foods was updated some time ago to include this large Roast Spit that will roast beef, pork, venison, bear, boar, or bison. (The graphic is the same for all meats). There was also a small Roast Stand added at that time that will roast turkey, chicken, duck, rabbit, or game. The small Roast Stand is not used in this story.
Thank you Abandoned - I haven't used MarketFood before.
@Glenn You will like Market Foods :)
Chapter 6
We stayed in the abandoned houses during the celebration. Marvid said we were to help ourselves to whatever supplies we needed. We would all have new houses or wagons built for us, whichever we chose. I was the elder of our group so my family was given first choice. My husband is Conardo and we have a two-year-old son, Jencarlton, and an eight-year-old daughter, Teller. She wanted a place of her own and would make her own choice when the time came. I saw in the crystal ball that she would chose a spot close to us. I choose a spot for our wagon close to the camp's stash and carts. I am Artina, the fortune teller, and many will come to me for their daily tarot card readings so I wanted to be in a convenient spot.
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A worker was already bringing supplies from the town storehouse to our stash. It was a new experience for us to be given permission to do this. We gypsies were considered to be tramps and thieves and not welcome in or around most town. Townsfolk did not seem to mind visiting our camps though and enjoying the benefits. Many would come to my wagon to have their fortunes told. I set out a small table with my crystal ball and two chairs beneath a small awning alongside of our wagon. Another small table would serve for tarot card reading, palm readings, tea drinking, and maybe even a seance or two. Conardo set out my sign when all was in place.
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Chapter 7
A separate area, where there were 2 apple trees, was set aside for our goats. We were given oat and carrot seeds to plant there to feed them. There were soon rabbits in the carrot patch from the hedgerow that was discovered when some trees were cut. Wilmers and Malvira had their wagon built there and would care for the horses and goats. They had a 6-year-old boy, Sedric, and a newborn girl named Lynn. Their 10-year-old daughter, Mckaylan, wanted a place of her own. This too I saw in the crystal ball when Malvira came to me concerned for her young daughter. I told Malavira not to worry, her daughter's wagon would be built close to theirs. And later, it was.
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Like Wilmers and Malavira, Yander and Cayle also had a newborn and a young daughter. The couple was happy to move into their wagon near ours. It had been a few years since Cayle had an infant to care for. Their baby boy was named Omarien. Their 7-year-old daughter, Campella, not only wanted a place of her own but she wanted to live in town. She wanted to learn to be a tailor. The town had no school but children learned what they wanted to know from the adults. A tailor shop was built not far from the sheep farmyard, and Campella moved into a house near the tailor shop.
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Chapter 8
Before Mckaylan's wagon was complete, Harlton and Bryleighton moved into their wagon back in the woods. They also had a newborn, a boy named Ibraham. Their 13-year-old son, Domenicolas, had a wagon built south of ours. He got a grape vine from Marvid and Ette and had it growing in a big pot behind his wagon. He was hoping his sister, Crissie, would be the one doing the grape stomping but she moved into a tiny house in town. She made friends with the girl living across from her and she liked the young woodcutter who lived next door. A new Old Town Smith was built not far from those houses and the young blacksmith who worked there liked her.
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By then, Mckaylan's wagon was completed, and the girl set up a table with an awning to sell the love potions she made from wild plants and herbs.
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As I foresaw, our daughter, Teller's wagon was built next to ours. She would help care for her new baby brother, Martheford, and she would tend the camp's bonfire. She was quite a good gypsy dancer at a young age and would help entertain visitors to our camp. I saw some young men from Ironwood watching her dance from the woods. There was bound to be more young men coming from town.
The gypsy wagons look very interesting in the game.
@Glenn Thanks. I think they would look good outside a castle wall. There are free-to-build deco wagons included.
Chapter 9
In town, by the end of year 3, a Tiny town hall had been built and a school was being built next to it. There was only one child that would be starting school soon. Most of the 23 children now recorded in the town hall were newborns or only a year or two old. As I foresaw, the gypsy and his lady had 2 boys. I also predicted they would have another boy child in spring of the following year. The accuracy of my predictions had other townswomen coming to me wanting to know how many children they would have or whether their expected child would be a boy or a girl. The town could use more girls, at present there were more boys than girls.
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In our camp, the last adult boy, moved into his own wagon. Wilmers and Malvira's boy Sedric chose a location by the stockpile for his wagon. He set up an anvil out front but we did not need any tools. He was put in charge of bringing supplies from town to our stash. There was plenty of tools, clothes, and food items to be had.
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Chapter 10
Sedric used his anvil to make trinkets for trade with the visitors. He said it was easier to have visitors bring needed items to trade than it was for him to make trips to town and back to keep the stash filled. His talismans and amulets were as popular as his cups and tableware. The first warm days of spring brought more visitors to our camp and customers to his trinket table. As predicted, the gypsy and his lady had another boy child they named, Steward.
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Mckaylan's love potions were drawing the attention of young women from town and they, along with older women, wanted their fortunes told. Men and older boys from town and from Ironwood gathered round the bonfire to watch the gypsy girls dance. Domenicolas was harvesting the first grapes of the season from his potted grape vine, and he had a grape stomping barrel set up and was making wine.
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While the Ironwood men were occupied drinking wine and watching the gypsy girls dancing, Domenicolas' father, Harlton, took the opportunity to visit Ironwood's far work camp with his wagon to borrow some need items. Old habits die hard.
Chapter 11
Harlton return with his borrower's cart filled with venison, apples, and a few hides. He would have to return to Ironwood and back home again later by a different route through the trees. There were men lined up on the path to his house to visit with his wife. Why? Well, one could say Bryleighton was something of a healer. She had been in the habit of taking care of the needs of Ironwood men while Harlton did some borrowing.
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By autumn, we actually had a healer's wagon and Mckaylan became our herbalist healer. She set up another display table, this one with herbal elixirs. She set out a few more pots to plant with flowers and herbs and she put out a sign to attract customers. There was a hedgerow across the road where asparagus would come up in spring and where there would be herbs to gather. Herbal chamomile tea was very soothing and healing as well as providing tea leaves for reading. Can I get you another cup, weary traveler?
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This weary traveller would love a cup of tea - I can see myself living happily in the Gypsy camp. :)
Years ago I had my tea leaves read - it perfectly described a predicament I faced at the time, and then, having made my choice the leaves were 100 percent correct in the outcome. :(
Looking back it was a classic damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. ::)
The other choice may have lead to exactly the same outcome - then on the other hand it may have not - it is something I may never know. :-\
I can see Gypsy camps being a wonderful addition to all our games.
8) Very interesting, thanks for sharing that. :)
Chapter 12
There were less visitors to our gypsy camp as the seasons changed once again and winter came. But then it was spring and the asparagus was coming up and the wild flowers were blooming. The plants in the healer's pots were also blooming, and visitors were returning to trade for elixirs, love potions, and trinkets, and to have their fortunes told.
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With spring came 3 families, with 4 young children and 2 adult children, who moved from Ironwood to this side of the river. One of the families was a gypsy family that had remained behind in the hills when we moved here. They were an older couple who wanted me to know that my prediction, that they would one day have the child they wanted, had finally come true. They had a little girl, Evelynettina, who just turned one. They built a wagon in camp just past Mckayla, the healer's wagon.
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The other 2 families had visited our camp and the town in the past and thought it was a place they would like to live. They wanted more space and more peace and quiet than Ironwood had to offer. They chose a secluded spot northeast of town and began planting their garden while their nice houses were being built. The couple with twins built a house on one side of the garden and the other couple built on the other side. Their adult son moved into the nice cottage next to them. By the following spring they had the area fenced in and were harvesting beans, apples, squash, mushrooms, cabbage, wild honey, herbs, wild oats, and peppers. There was a stockpile and storage barn built nearby.
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Very colorful, enjoying it. Love the early-game minutiae:)
:)
Chapter 13
By late summer the town's firewood supply was low. Another woodcutter was assigned to cut wood in town while everyone else went out into the forest to gather branches. By early winter there was enough firewood for all the houses, wagons, and cookfires.
We had more visitors in spring of year 6 but they did not plan to stay long. There were 4 families of roaming gypsies, some were distantly related to some in our camp. It was good to see them. They parked their wagons along the road. There was a small clearing there where they roped off an area for their horses. The boys in camp took hay and water to the horses.
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The gypsy visitors brought us 2 elderberry bushes they dug up along the road. Mckaylan immediately provided pots to plant them in. The bushes transplanted well and soon there were elderberries to pick. The men made a brewer's barrel to turn the berries in elderberry wine. The townspeople and those from Ironwood joined in our reunion celebration. There was food and dancing, and there was music and there was wine.
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All too soon the leaves and the temperature and a cold autumn rain began to fall and the roaming gypsy families went on their way. There were many new towns to visit and to borrow from.
Chapter 14
The snow began to fall shortly after the roaming gypsies left our camp. It made us feel very lucky to be where we were with plenty of firewood, warm coats, roasted meat and potatoes, fruits and vegetables, and wine. Marvid and Ette made sure that we and the townspeople had everything we needed. In spring of year 7, the population of the town and our camp was 79, 42 adults, 7 students, and 30 young children. The town was doing well and had a new chapel and a cemetery.
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Of the 30 young children, 22 lived in town and 8 in our camp. The only gypsy child among the 7 students was our son, Jencarlton, who was 7 years old. The school in town was a long way for him to go. Carnardo and I thought the only reason the boy wanted to go to school was to be with children his own age. His brother was 6 but the other children in camp were only ages 3, 2, and 1. Ette thought we should have a school. Well, we gypsies really didn't see a need for a school but Ette convinced us to at least take a couple of school books to have in camp. Yander, in the wagon near us, agreed to teach the children or anyone else who wanted to learn something. He set up a table and some chairs, put the books on the table and an awning over it. He built a wagon nearby to take the books and children inside on really cold and rainy days. Our gypsy camp had a school.
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Chapter 15
Our gypsy camp had everything we needed. We had a herbalist healer and a fortune teller. We had table displays of love potions, elixirs, and trinkets. We had a stash of need items that we filled from the storage units in town. We had a borrower's cart to get items from Ironridge, and a firewood cart too. We had horses to pull a wagon if anyone chose to leave. And we had wine. We had half barrels planted with grapes and elderberries and we had a barrel for grape stomping and one for making elderberry wine. Why would anyone want to leave? We were all healthy and happy. We lived in a beautiful valley and our wagons were sturdy, comfortable, and warm.
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Chapter 16
The families that moved from Ironridge felt the same. They were happy and healthy and felt like they lived in a fairy garden. They wanted a wine barrel like the one we made elderberry wine in so they could make apple cider with the apples from the tree in their garden.
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The townspeople were happy and healthy too. They had a school and town hall, a tailor and a smith, and a new chapel and cemetery. And they had stomping barrels to make wine from the Gypsy's grape vineyard.
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There was new spring wine for the spring and Easter celebration in the festival park. The Gypsy himself dressed up as an Easter bunny to delight the children. Ette made baskets and colored eggs to hide around the town center for all the children to hunt for. And there was music and there was wine. Everyone was very glad that "the Gypsy Rover came over the hill and won the heart of his lady".
Happy Easter, weary traveler.
The End
A lovely story - music, wine and fortune telling, a peaceful valley filled with happy people.
Happy Easter Abandoned.
:) Thanks
@Glenn and Happy Easter to you.
Find info and link to Kid Gypsy Fantasy here: http://worldofbanished.com/index.php?topic=4181.0
Kid Jam & Wine was updated with a barrel to grow grapes and a stomping barrel to make wine from grapes, plus a barrel to grow elderberries and a brewer barrel to make wine from elderberries. Find info and link here:
here: http://worldofbanished.com/index.php?topic=4057.0
@Abandoned ;D ;) :D Beautiful story - thank you very much.
Yesterday the chickens clucked like that,
our eggs are crazy ...
they were striped,
and in circles and ribbons.
Now they all scream - Hurray! Hurrah!
Happy Easter!
;D ;D ;D Thank you
@taniu ;D Crazy eggs in refrigerator here too, all pretty solid colors though ;D Happy Easter :)