Mother to Seventeen

  Mother to Seventeen

  The misery of poverty had always been challenging for Hannah, especially because she had not grown up poor. She married a destitute carpenter at age fourteen, which was not what her family had desired. They had wanted her to marry a man three times her age, with four children under ten. Hannah did not desire to be a mother so young, especially to children who could very well be her sisters and brothers. So, when she deliberately dishonored her parents’ wishes, she married a man only five years her senior and whom she truly loved. Young Hannah was disowned by her family. Five years later, at age nineteen and with three young children, Hannah was reduced from being the daughter of a wealthy merchant to an impoverished widow when her husband died in a carpentry-related accident. All alone, and with nobody to turn to for succor, Hannah was forced to make brooms out of long, thick sticks and rough, poky twigs to sell at market so that she might be able to afford food for her three children and herself. One day, after she had sold her brooms, Hannah meandered around the shops, stopping at a bakery because she smelled the delectable aroma wafting out. Because she was exhausted from getting up early to make brooms and then selling them all day, Hannah stepped inside the bakery for a moment.

    Smelling the aromatic cinnamon rolls inside the bakery, Hannah was tempted to use a coin to buy one for herself. She even pulled a coin out of her purse. But, with all her self-control, Hannah chose instead to stand by the entrance of the bakery to enjoy the smell. After all, she had had very few truly enjoyable moments because her husband had died a year before!

    The baker, known for his stinginess, noticed Hannah standing there and grew irritated, “Woman, what are you doing? Are you going to buy anything or not?”

    Hannah sighed, gripping her widow head covering like she always did when she was nervous. “No, sir, I am sorry. I am simply enjoying the scent of your cinnamon rolls.”

    The miserly baker grew angry, stormed over to where the young woman was standing, and yelled at her, “If you will not buy my treats, then you must pay for the privilege of smelling them!” Hannah shrank back, terrified, as the baker tried to grab the coin out of her hand. She had been taught to submit to men as her authority, but this was getting out of hand. Hannah screamed, which caused an altercation to occur among the bystanders observing the situation.

    The people watching shouted, “Go to the king! King Solomon’s wisdom surpasses all human wisdom because it was given to him by Adonai Himself!” The baker and Hannah looked at each other. They were obviously getting nowhere with this argument, so they agreed to go visit the king.

    King Solomon could see them right away. “What seems to be the trouble?” His grey eyes seemed endlessly deep, as though he could see things that nobody else could. Hannah felt comforted just looking at the just, regal king.

    “I stepped into the baker’s shop to smell the cinnamon buns,” Hannah explained, glancing at the baker beside her. “I did not intend to buy anything. I am a poor widow, as you can tell, and cannot afford to spend money on cinnamon buns with a family of my own.” Hannah gripped her head covering tightly.

    The baker glared at Hannah and growled, “This woman came into my shop intending to smell my cinnamon buns. I made the smells. She should pay me for my time to make the smells if she will not buy a cinnamon bun! I don’t care that she is a widow.”

    King Solomon thought for a moment. “Of course, Hannah should pay for what she took.” Hannah gasped. Had she really thought that the king was a wise, fair king? Was he going to impoverish her further? Had she really been comforted by his grey eyes? “Hannah, take out your coins. Shake them.” Hannah did so, starting to become confused. What was King Solomon getting at?

    Turning to the baker, the king asked him, “Did you hear that?” The baker nodded his head, his forehead also furrowing in confusion. “Then you are paid. Hannah has paid for the smell of your cinnamon buns with the sound of her money.” Hannah and King Solomon laughed at this, but the baker was furious. He stormed away. According to legend, the baker closed his shop and moved to a far off land, while Hannah was hired by King Solomon himself to be the new village baker. With this newfound opportunity, Hannah climbed out of the hole of poverty could raise her children in comfort. A couple of years later, She married a farmer who was ten years older than her and had five children already, and they were quite happy. She had nine children with him. Hannah’s three children with her carpenter husband, as well as her nine with the farmer and his original five, all grew up as privileged members of society. Hannah’s mother and father asked her to be a part of the family again because she was so wealthy, but Hannah was still frustrated with them and chose to remain where she was for all her days, the beloved wife of a farmer and mother to seventeen children.

About the Author:     When she’s not reading, Erin Hylands spends her time crocheting, writing, and with her family. Naturally, she spends quite a lot of time writing fantasy and contemporary fiction. She has grown to also love reading and writing historical fiction as well. She is the author of With Eyes of Blue, Mary, Queen of Scots: A Shakespearean-Style Play, and Fairy Tales Made Modern Volume 1.

You can find Erin on the blog she shares with fellow young author Cari Legere.

 Link to Blog:  

https://twofriendsonepen.wixsite.com/twofriendsonepen

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    Erin Hylands is a gifted writer, who has published three books (you can find the links to those on the author spotlight she had a few weeks back). Make sure you head to her blog and support her writing! 

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