Tother Hand, Chapter 5 part 1

 cold ground in the distance.

Chapter Five

They continued south for several more days until the valley suddenly became quite hilly and close. The camels picked their way unerringly through the hills until the mountains on either side fell away suddenly and revealed a huge vast plain before them. The river widened considerably and formed long finer lakes that joined into a larger basin to the south. They stopped at a yurt again near sunset, and stayed with a younger family unit. On the plain, water and fertile soil were more abundant. The family offered a meal of hearty vegetables and soups.

2711 inquired about news from the city. The father of the household told stories of the unrest in the city that was spreading out to the rest of the plain. The Masked Ones had instituted new taxes, and they had announced new curfews for businesses and civilians. The unease in the general population was growing, the man had said. The last two years had not been very generous with the crops and animals. When times were good, the Masked Ones could implement their rules without much resistance. When times became tough, their guidance was onerous.

2711 asked about the recent problems with crops and animals. The father of the household referred him to the cycle of the moon. There are five weeks in every moon cycle, from full moon to full moon. This is _panca_, the number of fingers, toes, and the five points of the head, arms, and legs. There are six days in every week. This is _asarbyo_. But every ten moons there is one less day before the full moon. This is when we celebrate the Ayathrem Gahanbar in autumn, bringing in the herds. It is easy to understand that there are sixty-one weeks from Nawruz, the New Year, to Nawruz. Every eight years, there is one less week, or else eventually Maidyozarem Gahanbar, the midgreening, would be celebrated at the Maidyoshahem Gahanbar, the summer solstice.

The man had laughed at the joke, and 2711 smiled politely.

The father of the household continued, when we remove these weeks and days from the calendar, they are offerings to Ahura to preserve _asha_. Last year was the celebration and offering of the _asarbyo_. Nawruz was calculated to be on the spring equinox, but anyone with a stick shadow could see that the equinox had happened the day before. Therefore, we only celebrated five days of the proper seasons, or _gahanbars_. It was a great embarrassment for the Masked Ones and this must have invited Angra Mainyu. A cold spell killed much of the corn that year, and the next year, or this year, the grains were running out in the granaries.

Without grains, the cows, sheep, and goats were thinning out. Wife will tell you that she could not trade for bread or wheat all winter, because nobody would give up their stores. One man in town is said to have given four goats for one loaf of bread! This spring, we are hopeful that the season will be _spenta_ praise to Ahura, wisest of all Mainyu, may He smile upon us.

The man continued, we will celebrate Nawruz in a few weeks, perhaps you will be close by to join us?

2711 demurred, saying that the life of Healers is hectic and dedicated to practice and discipline, not to celebrations of the calendar.

The man bowed low to 2711 and 9001 and begged forgiveness for the slight, proclaiming loudly that he was just being generous and offering his bounty to strangers, as Ahura says is good.

2711 called for more butter tea to raise a toast to Ahura, and to wish for a _spenta_ harvest.