Free Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman Page B

the way, and the shepherds with the newborn lambs stuck in their shirts look like fat bishops.

    20 TH DAY OF J ANUARY ,
Feast of Saint Sebastian, who was shot with arrows, recovered, accused the emperor of cruelty, and then was clubbed to death
    Edgar, the saddlers apprentice, is missing. He went outside to relieve his bladder in the middle of the night and never returned. William Steward and the villagers searched for him today but it has been snowing so hard since last morning that they have little hope of finding him.

    21 ST DAY OF J ANUARY ,
Saint Agnes's Day
    Another virgin martyred rather than marry a heathen. I wonder what is so bad about heathens. They couldn't be worse than Robert.

    22 ND DAY OF J ANUARY ,
Feast of Saint Vincent of Saragossa, imprisoned, starved, racked, and roasted
    I crept out last night hoping to help with the lambing. I am none too fond of sheep, for they are stupid and smelly and bad-tempered, but the new lambs are so sweet and soft. No one noticed me, so I sat wrapped in my cloak with lambs asleep in my lap and made a lambing song, which I misremember now, but I know it was good.

    23 RD DAY OF J ANUARY ,
Feast of Saint Emerentiana, foster sister of Saint Agnes, stoned to death while praying at her tomb
    Edgar was found. He lost his way back to his cottage in the storm and took shelter in an old shed, which was soon covered in drifting snow. By morning the snow was too heavy for him to shift, so he stayed trapped under it these four days. This morning one of the shepherds spied a stick that Edgar managed to force through the snow with a stocking tied on and he was dug out. Thanks to God, he had not really gone to the privy but was sneaking back to his cottage from our hen house with his shirt stuffed with eggs, so he had plenty to eat.

    24 TH DAY OF J ANUARY ,
Feast of Saint Timothy, who was clubbed to death during the pagan festival of Katagogia
    The only Latin we have for Perkin to learn to read from is documents and house accounts, so I made some simple stories in my best Latin and am teaching Perkin from them. He says he is certain a scholar has to be able to read more than
Pater meus animalus est
or
Non amo Robertum.
I am doing my best.

    26 TH DAY OF J ANUARY ,
Feast of Saint Paula, a Roman widow who became a Christian, renounced all amusements, and went to visit the hermits in the Holy Land
    Baron Ranulf will be back in two weeks time and Aelis will be with him. Her new husband is still in his mother's care. George is still in York. My guts still grumble. It is still cold.

    28 TH DAY OF J ANUARY ,
Feast of Saint John the Sage, an Irish philosopher who was stabbed to death by his students
    Last night we had sleeping in our hall two monks from the abbey on their way to Rome. God, it seems, told their abbot that He wants the remains of two Roman martyrs brought from Rome to a new home in the abbey church. Brother Norbert and Brother Behrtwald are going to Rome to find them. Rome is so far away that they will not return until harvest.
    I thought to go with them but this morning when they left the snow was so deep and the wind so fierce and the dark so very dark that I snuggled down into my quilt and decided to wait for an adventure on some warmer day.

    29 TH DAY OF J ANUARY ,
Feast of Saint Julian the Hospitaler, who accidentally hilled both his mother and father and in his grief and remorse built a hospital for the poor. Patron of innkeepers, boatmen, and travelers
    Peppercorn the dog is possessed of a demon. She howls and moans, digging at her head, running though the hall, rubbing her face on the straw. Morwenna has made a charm which I wet with spit and tied about her head (the dog's, not Morwenna's). I pray the demon leaves Peppercorn without entering anyone else.

    31 ST DAY OF J ANUARY ,
Feast of Saint Maedoc of Ferns, who lived seven years on barky bread and water
    We have taken all the Christmas greens down. The hall looks so gloomy and bare. It is still cold but thanks to God