With the needy village priest there was a young altar boy studying to become a priest himself. He was a young man at about 19 years of age. He was a tall lad and very well built, stronger than all of the other men in his village. He helped the priest with mass and went with him when he visited the members of his parish. The young man was very fancily dressed with the nicest of silk garments. His hair was long, down to his shoulders; it was the color of freshly cut straw. He kept it well groomed, in order to impress the ladies of the parish. He was a bit of a ladies man, very well mannered, and quick to go out of his way to help someone if he thought it would benefit him. While around the priest he was the nicest and holiest person alive, but when he was not around the young boy had a wild side. He would lay with a woman he had just met only to fulfill his pleasures and then be gone. He gave no cares about the church and the teachings it holds so sacred that he was studying. The young man soon grew close to the begging friar. They were two of a kind and became good friends.

After the monk had finished his tale the host said to the young altar boy, "my good friend are we to expect you to tell us all a tale? You are but a boy, what have you experienced that would possibly be of interest to any of us?"

"My good host you and the rest of these people will be well entertained, and pleasantly surprised with what I have experienced. Although I am younger than the most of you, I have been around and experienced some of the finer things in life. In my travels with our good priest, I have encountered several entertaining people and learned of many a good tale which I wish very much to share with you all now."

"Well then my good boy, let me stop you no longer, by all means, do proceed!"

My tale begins in a small poor farming village. In this village there lived a very bright and wise man who was a blacksmith. His name was Alexander. This man was also very protective, for he had two young, very beautiful and flirtatious young daughters. At a young age their mother passed away, leaving Alexander to care for them and run his blacksmith shop.

One day while hard at work over a blazing fire a young scholar well learned in the ways of medicine entered into Alexander�s shop.

"Pardon sir, but I have traveled very far and I am in need of a place to stay for a while, I would be most gracious if you could see fit to give me lodging. I am a very hard worker and could work for you here in your blacksmith shop in exchange for room and board."

The blacksmith without raising his head to acknowledge the lad�s request said, "I�m very sorry but I can run my shop fine by myself and have no room for anyone else in my home. You would only get in my way and keep me from my work. Now be gone for I am a busy man and have no time to spend speaking of nonsense."

The young boy turned and left with a very heavy heart. The man would not even look him in the face. The young boy walked down the street a ways until he came to a medicinal shop. He thought to himself this would be the perfect place for me to stay until I get on my feet, I can practice my skill and have a warm place to stay. So he went inside and talked with the shopkeeper.

"Pardon me good sir, but I am need of a place to stay for a while in order to get on my feet and make it on my own. I was wondering if I could trouble you for a place to stay with you. In exchange for room and board I could work in your shop. I am very knowledgeable in the ways of the most modern medicine for I have recently attended Oxford."

The shopkeeper who was an older man and in need of someone who was skilled in the ways of new medicinal techniques was pleased the boy had come along. "Young sir, you are in luck, for I am always in need of someone to help me tend to my shop. My name is Anthony, and what may I ask is your name?"

"My name is Michael, sir you will not be disappointed!", he said with great excitement.

"Well then Michael my boy, I have an extra room above the shop here where you can stay. The room is nothing special, but you can do with it what you like. Meals will be served next door at my home. In exchange for your room and board I ask that you tend to the shop six days a week for a full working day. I will also need you to run errands and pick up supplies for me, since in my old age it is difficult for me to do this type of jobs."
Michael agreed to all of the terms that Anthony had set. He was relieved that he had finally found somewhere he could settle for a while and get his life together. He took his things up to the room and unpacked them into an old dusty dresser. He then unpacked all of his medicine books onto a small bookshelf in the corner of the room. Next to the bookshelf was a large window overlooking the much-traveled street. Michael pulled an olden wooden rocking chair over to the window and sat gazing out at all of the passers by.

The next morning Michael began working in the shop. He had several tasks ahead of him in updating all of the medicines and remedies. It took him the biggest part of the morning to get the shop all settled down. At noon Anthony came back into the shop to get Michael for his lunch.

After finishing their meal Anthony said to Michael, "My boy you have done such a great job this morning organizing and updating the shop that I want you to take a break from that tedious work."

Michael said, "Well to be truthful sir I could use a few supplies to make some new mixtures that you do not have. A trip outside to get supplies would be a great break."

"There is a small farm house at the edge of town about 2 miles out. They have there a small garden. It is tended to by two young women who know their way around a garden quite well. I�m sure that they will have the things that you request."

"Then I shall leave right now so that I can be back in time to prepare these medicines and have them ready by morning!"

"My boy, maybe it would be best if I get the things that you need. These two girls have a father that is somewhat protective of his two beautiful children, the oldest of which is about your age. I don�t think it would be a good idea if such a young and handsome young man as yourself went there."

Michael was very interested to here of such a beautiful young woman his age, how nice it would be if he could make some friends of his own age. "I think it would be safe for me to make this trip, I�ll stay no longer than it takes to get the herbs I need and then be on my way."

"Very well then, but know that you are warned that you are playing with fire going to their house."

After Michael had finished his lunch he took off to the girls house to collect the herbs he needed for his mixtures. After walking down the much traveled main street of the town and onto a small path that was barely recognizable as a road. At the end of this road he saw a small farmhouse with several barns and a large garden. He turned down this road and headed toward the house. As he grew nearer to the house he saw two figures out in one of the gardens. The images became clearer to him with every step he took toward the house. He could see that one of the girls was his age and the other was much younger. The oldest girl had long brown flowing hair, large, full breast, long legs, and the face of an angel. When Michael caught a glimpse of her face he stopped in his tracks, he couldn�t believe how incredibly beautiful the girl was. He now began to pick up his pace a bit, nearly breaking into a run. When he arrived at the house the two girls came up to greet him.

"Hello good sir, my name is Rachael and this is my younger sister Susan. How may we help you?"

Michael�s heart nearly stopped when he heard the angelic voice of Rachael. He stood there silent for several seconds and then finally remembered what it was he was there for. "Yes, yes, do forgive me, I have come to get some herbs to make some medicinal remedies."

"Are you a doctor," Rachael said with great excitement, "I want to be a doctor someday, but my father never lets me leave the farm. He is very protective of my sister and I. He means well, but how am I to have my own family and life someday if I can�t leave this place."

Michael immediately felt bad for the girl. "Why is it that your father is so protective of the two of you?"

"When we were young our mother died and left him to take care of the two of us. As we grew older he became more and more protective, not letting us have any contact with any children our age, especially boys."

The two began to talk and walk around the garden. The time passed by so fast that Michael lost all track of time and stayed at the farm for over two hours. When Rachael finally realized what time it was she was very startled.

"Michael, I�m afraid that you must leave now and very quickly! My father will be returning home soon from his blacksmith shop, and would be very angry to see you hear with me!"

Michael, realizing that there was only one blacksmith shop in town immediately remembered the rude man that had turned him away when he first came to the town. He began to turn and hurry off but turned to Rachael and said, "My good Rachael, could I see you again sometime while your father is away at work?"

"Yes Michael, come back as often as you like, for it is good to talk to someone my own age. Now you had best be on your way before father returns. Here don�t forget your herbs!"

Michael took the bag from her hand, gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and hurried back down the road and into town.

When he arrived back at the shop he found Anthony waiting for him in front of the door.

"Michael, I was afraid that you had been caught by the girls father and something horrible had happened to you!"

Michael immediately began to tell Anthony of his time with the girl, and how beautiful she was. After Michael had told Anthony his story he went into the shop made his medicine and went up to his room and went to bed.

The next morning Michael went about his duties in the shop. Making medicines and organizing the inventory to the store. After lunch once again he thought it would be a good idea that he went back to the farm and got some more herbs that he would need for a new remedy. He finished his food and took off for the edge of town and the small farm once again. When he arrived he once again saw the two young women hard at work in the garden. They approached one another and began talking once again.

Michael kept going back to the farm every day for a month, just to see the girl. Michael had began to feel strongly for the girl, and the fact that she was the daughter of the blacksmith who had been so rude to him made him all the more eager to be with the girl. The finally decided that they needed to be together.

"I want to lie between the sheets with you my dear."

Rachael was shocked at first and the first thing she said was, "But my father, what if he were to find out?"

"But he won�t find out. I have a sure fire plan so we can be together." Michael laid the plan out for her. "Tomorrow you will not get up from bed, he will then come to check on you, when he does you will tell him ho sick you are, and how you feel like you are about to die. He will come to town and stop in our shop since we are the only medicinal shop in town. Anthony will be working so I will have him tell your father to bring you into the shop so that we may properly care for you. Your father will not know that it is me that has arranged the whole thing. While you are here in our care, we can be together until you wish to return home."

Rachael was very excited at the idea, she agreed to it and so Michael took off to the shop to tell Anthony of his plan.

The very next morning the blacksmith came into the shop just like Michael had planned.

"Sir, I have a very sick daughter and I don�t know what to do for her. Would you be so kind as to come with me to my home and give her some of your medicine to make her well once again?"

"I would surely do it if I could. I am too old to travel outside of the store. Perhaps you could bring her here so that I may tend to her. She can stay with my wife and myself until she is cured."

The blacksmith immediately agreed to this idea for he wanted only the best for his daughter. He got on his horse and returned home to get his sick daughter.

When he returned they took the sick girl up to the room where Michael had been staying and laid her on the bed. After Anthony had assured Alexander that everything would be just fine and he would be able to cure her, Alexander returned home to his other daughter.

The very minute that Alexander had left the shop Michael came up to the room where Rachael was staying. For the rest of the day they had their fun under the sheets, and did so for the next week. Rachael then thought it best that she returned home to help tend to the farm.

Rachael returned home to her father and sister and they were none the wiser. Michael and Rachael continued to see each other and set up these little arrangements for Rachael to the shop and get medicine that would keep her from having this sickness again and to have check ups. The whole time Alexander was none the wiser to what was going on. But eventually the two wanted to wed and would have to tell Alexander. The time came when Rachael wanted to tell her father about her relationship with Michael. She finally told him what all they had done, and how she wasn�t really sick, she just wanted to sleep with Michael. Upon hearing this Rachael�s father collapsed to the floor suffering from a heart attack. Rachael rushed to town and got Michael, he gave him one of his new mixtures and cared for Alexander for several days. When Alexander was better and came to and realized that it was Michael who his daughter had been with he chased the poor boy with an axe, but that tale is for another time and another journey. Now my friends it is up to you to decide if it can truly be a bad thing to love something so much and protect it so!