1. Eulália Gameiro
Russita
Ski on river waters and fish in the trees

2. “A fool is the one who
disregards a child’s help”

3. In April, with the
weeding, and watering,
there were hands full.
The duties were many
and my mother alone
could not account for all
of the errands so the
neighbors helped each
other up on the field
tasks.

4. A day’s help was
lent just as if it was a
hoe, a bowl of rice or
a handful of matches.

5. On that day it was necessary to
weed the corn on a field called
Várzea. A group of five people joined:
my mother, Ti Leonilde, Ti Ilda, Ti
Herminia, and Guida. I was also in the
group with a hoe on my shoulder,
very upright and willing to help.

6. When we arrived to the
cornfield, the women shared
tasks. While three of them
began weeding, Guida and her
mother perched upon
themselves, drew the stalks of
unnecessary corn, those who
would eventually shrink to one
another because they are so
close together. It seemed a
simple task, but it was quite
difficult! Among so many stalks
of corn, which one should go
out?

7. Their accurate hands
knew exactly which stalk of
corn should leave. The roots
jumped out of the earth with
a "crrac“ and were shaken
with a slight movement and
then placed in a wisp, which
grew and grew...until it
became unbearable and was
then perched on the edge of
the cornfield.

8. - So, dickhead. Did you come to
behold the work? – asked Guida pertly.
- What is it? – I asked and poured out
my tongue in mockery.
It was enough for my mother to take
notice of me :
- Grab the hoe and start weeding. “A
fool is the one who disregards a child’s
help” the little you do I won’t do it
myself.

9. - Be careful not to harm the corn stalk! Hoe
around it. Bend yourself, pull the grass out
and place it in a pile, like this you see? The
sun will finish it off. This is your row. Follow
it, come on…

10. Guida started singing:
“let me get married mother dear!
While I am still a youngling!
‘cause the cornfield hoed late
Gives no straw and gives no ear!
Everybody wants me, I want someone
I want my love, don’t want anyone. “
Everybody wants me, I want something
I want my love, don’t want anything. "

11. “Mother promised me as wedding gift
Three fat and healthy sheep
One is blind the other lame and the other’s got no ears
Everybody wants me, I want someone
I want my love, don’t want anyone. “
Everybody wants me, I want something
I want my love, don’t want anything. "
The song was well known and my mother went on:

12. “Mother promised me as wedding gift
A mighty young white horse
But after I got married
Gave me a poor limping mule!
Everybody wants me, I want someone
I want my love, don’t want anyone. “
Everybody wants me, I want something
I want my love, don’t want anything.

13. My mother looked at my work and as it was
already well advanced she smiled happily.
- Go to the stream and bring us the jug of
water that is refreshing there.
That was music for my ears. I hurried to the
cold water, knelt by the stream and splashed
my face. Huummm! That freshness! I cleaned
my face with the flap of my blouse.

14. I took the dripping jug out of the water,
and a splash fell to the ground ... looked
like it was broken and the water was
pouring ... but no! It was just the one that
had entered through the straw and the
glass.

15. - We already deserve to eat
something! Come on – my mother
called after a while. We all washed
hands and face in the stream and
then my mum fetched the lunch
basket that was waiting by the shade
of the reed. She spread a towel on
the soft grass and we all sat down
around it, on the ground.

16. She placed the containers of roasted
pork sausage, egg omelet, ham, cheese
and greaves on the towel. Then she took a
large cornbread out of the basket and cut
it into pieces, scattering them on the
towel.
- Go on, help yourself, please do. Do not
do the ceremony. “Those who aren't fit
for food aren't fit for work."

17. I cut a piece of omelet, put it on a piece of
cornbread and started eating. Never in all my
life, the food tasted so good! There, by the
shade of the cherry tree, listening to the
noise of the stream, those flavors were just
delicious. I tried a bit of everything, but saved
the best to the end: greaves. Crispy, juicy,
greaves moisture in the mouth and together
with that bread it was a delight.

18. I ate greedily but mum never told me
anything or warned, as she used to do at
home when I was exaggerating. I looked at
her and she looked at me, laughing.
- So, how do you like it?
- Huumm! Very good mother.

19. - That's because you spent energies working.
If you laied down all morning, doing nothing,
the food wouldn’t taste so well. – Ti Ilda said.
- I would be delighted, staying at home and
doing nothing but rest! - Guida said through low
speech.
- That you would, wouldn’t you slack one. If I
let you, you wouldn’t stand up from bed, even
to eat your meals. But hey, " who does not
work shall not eat "! You were like to
experience the same thing that happened to
the other one…!

20. - What was it Mrs. Ilda? I asked curiously.
- You do not know the story of this man, whom one
day hands and feet disobeyed?
I said no shaking my head and she started telling:
- Once upon a time there were two feet and hands
that thought they were slaves of the mouth and
stomach, because they always had to work hard to
give them food and lazy mouth and belly did nothing.
Then one day, the hands said to the feet:
- Thou shall not give them food!
And the feet responded:
- Thou shall not give them drink!

21. And well said, well done. They were very
pleased when the mouth complained and
empty stomach rumbled and rumbled. They
heard them complaining, happy and revenged.
But the other parts of the body also began to
protest. First, protested the head, which began
to yaw; then the ears, which began to pop; then
the breast, which began to pant; after the skin
which began to sweat.

22. - Well done! - Exclaimed the partners. It is for you to
learn. Never again shall we be your slaves. And they long
let themselves placidly waiting, while the rest of the body
complained.
Ti Ilda took a piece of bread with cheese, put it in the
mouth and started chewing.

23. Alas! I wouldn’t care! Well done ... - Said
Guida giggling.
- Do you think so? - I asked, thoughtfully
- I think the feet and hands were very
selfish. After all, the rest of the body was
not able to fetch food alone, they needed
their help…
- Now! - She answered - " who does not
work shall not eat “! they did very well!

24. Ti Ilda drank a sip of water and wiped
his mouth on the sleeve of her blouse.
- It is seen that beyond lazy you are
dumb! What do you think that
happened? Do you think that the feet
and hands were laughing forever? For I
tell you they lost the good mood in a
while.

25. - One day, the hands wanted to open up
and failed, they had no power even to lift a
finger. The feet wanted to walk and wham!
Toppled sideways, without strength. Seeing
the mistake they had made, they asked the
mouth to call for help, but the mouth was
silent for long. The head seemed empty, the
bent shrunken belly stuck to the back, the
skin was withered and dry, eyes closed …
alas! A tragedy.

26. - So what? Did they die? - I asked in anguish.
- Yes, they all died of hunger. This is what
happens to those who are lazy and to those
who are dependent on them. The less they do,
the less they can do.
Guida blushed, but didn’t give in. She
muttered between her teeth:
- So this is best for you not to lie down or
rest. Let yourself always to work hard without
resting and you will see what happens to you ...

27. - That’s it! You big goofy. Come on, raise
your big rested body thence! – and she gave
her a light slap on the head. We all laughed as
Guida, who understood very well the message
of the story pulled her mother’s tapes of the
apron which opened and fell to the ground,
tripping the mother in it, almost falling.

28. But her mother was not angry. She
laughed and threw her a dry root ball,
which broke and spread across the
chest, staining her blouse with
powder. They looked like two playing
girls.
But the cornfield waited for us and
there we went, happily, towards work.
..

29. Extract from the Book
Russita Ski on River Waters and Fish in the Trees
By Eulália Gameiro
Music from iTunes
Sparkling Springtime by Sounds of Nature
Springtime Dreams