Butter

From LSWiki

<dawning>

Auntie's Hovel was cold and damp. Auntie, the matriarch of this family, stood in the kitchen where she spent most of her time, endlessly toiling away preparing food for her family. Auntie's delicious confections were known far and wide and were the pride of her clan. She had 143 children, pretty standard litter for a goblin of her standing. A small dark-skinned youngling stood near here watching her every move in amazement.

Boom-ka-chunk!, a plume of black smoke spewed upwards out of the archaic stove, "Flarg-ratten!!" Auntie exclaimed as the stove went dead. She turned a few dials, paused a moment, then kicked it to get it working. She had to do this quite a bit as the stove had not received maintenance for a long, long time. The stove coughed out another plume of black smoke as it cranked back on, returning to it's normal squealing and popping noises. "See, little one? you just have to make it work," she said to the small observer. "Now, our clan has traditions that need to be maintained so here is a lesson.... whenever we fry something first we add butter to the pan." Auntie scooped a generous amount of the creamy substance. Dropping it onto the pan, she looked down to her child and said: "Now what is the first ingredient to fried food?"

"Butter!!" the little one exclaimed with a smile.

"Very good!! I can't believe you are talking already, one so young" ... Auntie paused. She knew little "Butter" was different from the rest of her spawn. He seemed to show an understanding that she herself had only managed to attain in her elder years. Auntie recalled how some of her clan had treated those that were seen as "different" in the past, and she felt a twinge of fear as to the future of her child's life. "OK.... that's enough for today, get ready for bed," said Auntie masking her fears. Little Butter scampered out of the room.

The next morning Auntie came into the kitchen to find Butter already there, smiling wildly. The smile was one of mischief and delight.... like someone with a secret to tell..... Auntie turned on the stove and heard the power hum on. It sounded clean, the pipes unobstructed. No reminisce of it's usual labored noises. She could not recall the last time it appeared to be in such working condition. She looked down at Butter who had not taken his eyes off his beloved mother.

"Did you do this little one?" she inquired. Butter nodded, then jumped up and down a few times unable to contain his delight.

"Over night.... while Mommy slept.... me..... Butter fixed, Butter made it work, Butter fixed for Mommy!!"

The feelings of worry returned and she spoke. "Well I am very proud of you..... Go wake up your bothers..."

Butter shined with pride and stood up very straight, puffing out his chest, in fashion very different from the normal slumping posture of the goblin race, and walked out of the kitchen.

Shortly after, the whole family was slurping and crunching away on their breakfasts. Butter sat quietly eating next to Bread. Bread was the bother with whom Butter was the closest in age. Butter could hardly contain the excitement, knowing that his mother would, no doubt, tell the family what he had done, and that he was special. He sat and ate, and waited. Auntie never said a word. Butter watched his mother eat slowly, her eyes darting off in another direction whenever he looked up to try to catch her gaze. She ate in silence and left in silence, not saying a word about Butter's deed.

"I fought you sed Mommy was gonna say sumfin' bout you?" said Bread finishing his meal. Butter did not respond. He just took his plate up to the dish bin and left.