Hum A Tune
From 2009: Under the influence of music themed fantasy novels by Mercedes Lackey and Tanya Huff, I decided to take another tact. What about those that loved music but not the ability? Also demonstrating a writing rule of mine: if there is no point to a furry character, don't put them in.
The rumor quickly swept through the village. A Bard was on the way. They came so infrequently, bringing news from the outside world and a little entertainment. They were always welcomed where ever they went. Some said they could even perform magic.
But none looked forward to this news as much as Nam. The word reached his ears while he was out in the rice fields, pulling weeds out of the muck of the paddy. When he took a break from crouching over the muddy water in the heat of mid-morning, he spied Tao, the merchant that went between the village and the nearest town, taking extra rice and handiworks made by the Elders to trade for other things the village needed. Nam waved his hand in greeting.
"How goes the harvest?" Tao shouted from the track that ran along Nam's parent's paddy.=
"It goes well," Nam replied. It was the traditional response to the greeting, though honestly, Nam had no idea yet if all his work would amount to much; that was for his father to worry about. "What news do you bring?" Nam knew the rituals, even at just nine years of age.
"A Bard is on the way. I spoke to him in the market and he will be leaving Muba in a couple days." Tao then waved again at Nam, pressing up the track to get to the village. A merchant was always in a hurry to sell his wares.
His older sister, Xie, had been working at the other end of the paddy, so hadn't heard. She came up to Nam, "What did old Tao have to say?"
Nam whispered, "A Bard is on the way." He shivered in anticipation. Xie smiled; she knew how much a visit from a Bard would mean to Nam. Since he had been an infant, Nam would lock onto any scrap of song, trying to hum it, trying to hold on to it. Granted, he could barely hum, let alone keep rhythm with sticks, but that didn't stop him from trying. Xie merely nodded, stretched out the kink in her back from the hours bent over weeding, and headed back to where she had been working.
Nam, meanwhile, went back to weeding as well, but his mind was now occupied with the hope of hearing new songs. In his head, at least, he could bring back scraps of all the songs that the Elders or just about anyone else in the village knew. When the Bard had come through the village 5 years ago, he could spend all his time gathered around the him, begging him to play every song he could. But he was a child then; now he was a young man with responsibilities, namely the chores of making sure his father's fields were well tended. If they were, they could rest easy during the cold winters that always came here in the foothills.
His mind flitting from songs that the Bard had played all those years ago and anticipating the new songs, Nam continued his weeding.
The Bard came two days later. As protocol demanded, it was the Elders, hunched over from years of toil in the fields and wearing their black ceremonial robes, who greeted the Bard in the village common. He was wearing a silk robe dyed scarlet, his black hair tied back into a queue. In many ways he looked like a noble, and indeed, he must have spent a lot of time in the courts of local gentry. But it was the soft leather case slung over his shoulder, holding his instruments, that declared loudly who he was. No one, not even the highwaymen and brigands that lined many of the tracks of the Empire dared to mess with a Bard. Not only was the punishment severe and swift, but the Bards had a way of being more than capable of taking care of themselves.
Not long after the Bard had arrived, the word of his arrival spread throughout the village and surrounding countryside. Nam heard the details of the meeting while he, his sister and his mother shared a mid-day meal of cooked rice and wild plants gathered from the mountainside at the edge of the paddies. The weeding was nearly done, but there would also be fertilizing, as well as tending the cattle, to be done soon. As they were eating, their neighbor came over. Yan was a natural gossip, so any secret spoken within several shaku of her was instantly spread throughout the surrounding area.
But today, Yan had good news. "The Bard has arrived in town, " she said without the traditional greetings. But with news that momentous, the lack of protocol could be forgiven. Yan went on to describe how he looked, and what the Elders had said. Breathless, she concluded, "I heard that he'll stay here for a sevenday before heading up into the mountains." There was a faint note of distaste in that last statement; the farmers in the foothills looked down upon the woodsmen and mushroom gathers that made their living up at higher elevations.
Finally, Nam's mother could get in a word in edgewise. "When will we be able to meet this Bard?" she asked politely, despite Yan's rudeness. Any other time, she'd chastise Yan, but truth be told, she was excited as Yan about having a Bard in the village, and being able to find out what was going on in the world outside. Tao had done the best he could to let the villagers know, but no one could tell it as well as a Bard.
"Oh! There will be meetings every night after sundown. Tonight will be mostly news, but I hear that other nights will be given more to music."
Nam, who had been hanging onto Yan's every word, turned to his mother. "Can I go after I finish evening chores every night?"
Nam's mother smiled indulgently at her youngest child. "We'll all go tonight. Yes, if you finish all your chores, you may. But you mustn't stay all night; you'll still have chores to do at sunrise."
Nam nodded his head obediently, "Yes, Mother." But his mother could see the shine of anticipation in his dark eyes.
Sundown couldn't come soon enough. Nam nearly raced through the evening meal, to the amusement of Mother and slight annoyance of Father. Privately, Father was interested in the news the Bard had to bring, but he neither had interest in music nor the feeling that he could show anything beyond sternness as head of the family. "Nam, slow down. That Bard won't be going anywhere. And you better keep your promise of finishing your chores if you want to go see him the rest of the sevenday."
Nam slowed down shoveling the mixture of chicken, vegetables and rice from his bowl, but he still nearly hummed in anticipation as the time drew near. He couldn't wait to hear what songs the Bard had to bring. He still had to wait a little impatiently as his parents, Xie and his oldest brother Hyun finished their meal before he could clean the bowls from the table and dumped the scraps out back to the hogs. Still, he flew through his jobs and the sun still peeked over the mountains when he was done.
The rest of family got ready by changing into the sort of robes one wore for festival, since this was a momentous occasion; just like at a festival, it would be a chance to talk with other farmers around the valley as they would all come to hear the Bard. It was important to look one's best and show how prosperous you were; to do otherwise would only bring whispers that the Gods had not favored you. It didn't take long for Nam to join his siblings and his parents, all wearing their best. Together in the fading light of the sun, the air still warm for it was Weeding Month and the days were long, they walked the half ri to the village center.
When they got there, a number of people were already gathered around a raised dais that had been quickly constructed in front of the Elders meeting place. When Father was spotted, he was quickly greeted by others, the rituals observed, the pleasantries exchanged. Before long, as the torches were lit and the last of the sun disappeared behind the mountains, the Bard stepped atop the dais, his robes freshly cleaned. Even though his manner was friendly and his clothes fairly simple, it was clear he was above the simple peasants in the crowd dressed in their festival clothes. It was simply in the way he carried himself.
Nam didn't remember much beyond the music the last time a Bard had come through, but he was very much impressed now with the Bard's bearing. When the Bard began to speak, the murmur of the crowd instantly hushed. "Greetings!" the Bard pronounced dramatically, "I bring you news from Muba and beyond." He then launched into a summary of what had happened during the five years since the last Bard; a minor skirmish on the southern border of the Empire, famine and prosperity, the birth of young ones to the Emperor and his consorts. Nam was fascinated by the nearly musical nature of the narrative, the rise and fall of his voice, the wash of words only pausing long enough for the Bard to take a drink from a clay mug that was near him. Before Nam realized it, the watch had called Middle Night; the dawn wouldn't be far away during these months and it was time for the farmers to return to their holdings. Those in town could stay a little longer to hear the Bard play a song or two, and Nam was disappointed when he heard the first notes of an old dancing song being plucked out on a pipa, but he also understood the necessity.
Throughout the next day, snippets of half remembered songs-- some sung by the Bard, some from Festival times, some simply sung to pass the time out in the fields and meadows-- danced in Nam's head, occasionally humming or singing softly to himself as he took care of the cattle and pigs then started working on weeding another paddy. As the sun started to settle behind the mountains, his Mother called him in for dinner. Quickly, he cleaned the mud from his hands and feet by pouring some water into a trough and then ran inside; it would not do to track mud into the house.
After dinner, Nam again hurried through his chores and then asked permission from his parents. Mother smiled and nodded, and he quickly pelted down to the village. The rest of the week was much more informal, and not as many people would be there. It would be people closer to the village, young people who would take the opportunity of a dance to working on their courting, and children like Nam who mainly just came to listen. Unlike the previous night, the mood as soon as Nam came to the village square was more openly joyous; it was not just serious news tonight, but a time to have fun.
As the torches were lit and the Bard again walked to the dais, Nam could see the difference in him as well. Now he wore a yellow silk jacket and black breeches. His bearing didn't change that much, but he wasn't nearly as formal, and more relaxed. He bowed to the crowd and they were instantly hushed. "What do you want to start with?" he asked in a voice that at once seemed conversational but was still able to carry from one end of the common to the other. A babble of voices quickly rose, and Nam couldn't decipher the names, but the Bard seemed to. He raised a hand and a simply said "I'll start with 'Cotton Weaver's Daughter'." There was a small cheer and the crowd quickly arranged itself for the dance, with those not wishing to participate spreading to the edges. The Bard got out a fue and started blowing the lively tune.
Nam took a spot near the dais and focused on the music, but shifted his focus between the smiling faces of the twirling crowd and the way the Bard threw his entire body into the performance. As best he could, Nam tried to commit the song to memory. The Bard shifted from old favorites to singing and playing some new songs that were popular elsewhere in the Empire. The lively songs, regardless if the villagers had heard them before or not, moved along with the beat. When he played a ballad, the crowd watched transfixed, caught in the emotion of the moment. Occasionally, he'd introduce a song, saying it was written by about some official in the court, or perhaps it told the story of a tragic love affair that took place at the edges of the Empire.
After a while, the Bard had to take a break to get his breath back and to rest his fingers. Nam instantly went up to him and asked him he needed anything. The Bard nodded and asked simply for some water. Nam ran to the Elder's place and filled a clay pitcher. When Nam returned with the water, the Bard murmured a thanks for the refreshment and sat down on a step. Meanwhile, the crowd began to mill around; it was still a rare time to have many different families to visit and exchange news and gossip.
As Nam stood by to help the Bard, the Bard felt the young boy's eyes on him, watching him intently. After catching his breath, he asked, "What is your name?"
"Nam," he replied quietly.
The Bard bowed to him the best he could from a seated position. "The name is Magu-shi," he replied with a smile.
Nam was a little taken aback; he wasn't old enough to be honored by having someone bow to him first. One always deferred to your elders. Quickly, Nam bowed in response, "I am honored."
Magu-shi laughed easily, "So you enjoy music?"
Nam, still a little tongue-tied, nodded. "I think about it all the time."
Magu-shi nodded thoughtfully at that little bit of information. "Is there something you would like to hear?"
"'Ox Carter's Folly'?" Nam, already honored, was proud he could get this close to the Bard and ask for a song personally.
The Bard simply took another drink from the clay mug, got up, and headed up to the dais. As soon as he was seen, the crowd hushed. The Bard, in that special voice that carried, simply announced, "Ox Carter's Folly." Nam happily sung along with the words.
It was far too late, when Nam got home to his bed, a pleasant ringing in his ears and hummed "Ox Carter's Folly" as he drifted off to sleep.
The next couple of nights, as soon as he had cleaned up, eaten his evening meal and did his chores, Nam went quickly to the common. There, he'd take up his position by the dais. A few other boys in the village noticed Nam, and teased him a little as the sun started to set. One night, Kai, a boy a year older than Nam, and a bit of a bully, taunted, "You're hoping to join the Bard?"
"No," Nam said shortly, but now that the idea had been suggested, he did consider it as he waited for Magu-shi to arrive, ignoring the jibes. When the Bard did arrive, Nam dutifully fetched water for him during breaks. Nam was still in awe of the Bard, so he hardly said anything. But, the boy was transfixed when the Bard would perform.
Finally, on the fifth night, the Bard sat down for a break, but stopped Nam before he could run off to fetch his pitcher of water. "Wait a moment, Nam. I have something to ask you. I've noticed you've been here every night and I much appreciate it. And I see how fascinated you are when I play." Magu-shi smiled a little, "Reminds me of when I was about your age. So you really love music?"
Nam was stunned by the Bard's words, but managed to nod mutely.
"What would you want more than anything?"
Nam, paused a beat and then whispered, "To be around music all the time."
Magu-shi smiled, but looked at Nam seriously. "To be a Bard, means more than just loving music, though it certainly helps. Equally important is having the talent. Some people have a little, some have none at all, but the very special ones have a great potential. I know that every year, hundreds of boys are sent to the Capital, mostly from minor nobles or wealthy merchant families. Most are forced to by their families, and don't really care one way or the other. Even if they have the talent, if they don't love music, they won't care enough to develop it. It is part of my duty, not only to gather and spread the news, but also keep an eye out for potential new Bards, especially in places like this. Since I know you love music, you meet half the requirements, but I need to test the other half. Could I ask your parents tomorrow so I might be able to test you?"
Nam's heart soared at the possibility. Him, a Bard? Not until Kai had taunted him was that even entertained, and now a Bard was asking to test him. What was life like outside this valley? He had never considered; it was understood that if you lived in the foothills, there was nothing else but to follow in your father's footsteps. His mind racing, he couldn't trust his tongue just yet, so he merely nodded in response.
The Bard smiled, and asked him where he lived. Finally, Nam could speak, quickly describing how to find his father's paddies. Magu-shi then rose, made sure his pipa's strings were in tune and launched into another dancing song. Nam, for his part, was so stunned that he almost forgot to listen to the music that surrounded him.
It was mid-morning the next day when Nam spotted the Bard coming up the road. He looked almost subdued into the sunlight, wearing a simple cotton tunic and breeches. Without the silk robes, Nam didn't recognize him until he got closer. It was fertilizing time, and he was helping Hyun and his father spread the compost on the paddies. But, the Bard stopped at the edge and watched the three working for a time. When Nam looked up again, he recognized the Bard standing there.
"How goes the harvest?" the Bard shouted politely.
"It goes well," his father replied, "It looks like another fine year for us. What news do you bring, Bard?"
"With your permission, I would like to test your son, Nam. I think he might have the makings of a Bard."
Father looked at Nam, curiously. Hyun was a little surprised at the pronouncement, but Father showed nothing on his face. Nam kept quiet, but there was a pleading look on his face. Father leaned on the rake he had been using to spread the compost on the field, ankle deep in water. "What makes you think he could be a Bard?"
The Bard bowed deeply to Father, "Sir, your son really loves music, that much I can tell. One of my duties is to look for Bards from all over the Empire, since great talent can come from anywhere. But, in order to ensure he has the talent as well as the love, I would have to test him. It still would be your decision if he could go to the Capital for further training."
Father considered this for a moment. "All right. I will let you test him. He is a good lad." That was about as far as Father would go when speaking favorably of his offspring. "Go get cleaned up, Nam. Bard, do you need any special place for this testing?"
"Just somewhere I may place my instruments, perhaps some walls to make sure I can check the sound," the Bard replied.
"The rear porch should do well, then."
The Bard simply half-bowed and headed up to the house. Nam found the trough, and quickly sluiced the muck from his feet and hands before heading to the back porch, a raised platform that ran along the back of the house to better transition between the farm yard in the back and the indoors. This side of the house was cool in the shade. As the Bard was setting out his instruments, he was greeted by Mother. She was surprised to see the Bard here, and he quickly explained what he was doing. She just bowed gratefully, and offered to bring refreshments. When the Bard asked if he was going to be a bother, she shook her head, "Oh, no, my daughter Xie and I are just making pickles, so your music will be a pleasant addition."
The Bard smiled and set to the task of making sure his pipa and fue were ready to go. Nam settled down on the porch, his feet dangling over the edge as he watched the Bard get ready. Before, the Bard had done all this work in his quarters before emerging for the evening, so this was the first time Nam had seen him do this. First, he blew into the fue, and then covered the holes in different patterns with his fingers, making the tones rise. Satisfied with the sound, he then turned his attention to the pipa, giving each string a pluck with a piece of tortoise shell. The Bard listened carefully to the sound each string made then adjusted the string slightly before strumming the string again. Once satisfied, he played a same series of rising tones on the pipa.
When he finished by setting out a set of polished wooden sticks, Nam asked in wonder, "You have to do that every time?"
The Bard smiled and nodded, "Yes, so that I sound my best. The fue usually isn't a problem, but my pipa is a bit temperamental sometimes. I have to make sure the strings are in tune, but not so tight that they break. Trying to find replacement strings, especially out this way, can be very difficult and expensive. And if I can't play, then I can't work. So, I have to take care of my things."
Then, the Bard's attitude changed and became more formal, just like the Scholar that taught Nam the characters for his name and few simple words a couple winters ago. "We are going to test you, Nam, for your musical ability. We don't expect you to be perfect, but we need to find out how much potential you have. Just relax and try your best." Then, the Bard relaxed again, and smiled at Nam. "Before every testing, those words must be said. Let's get started."
Magu-shi started off by handing Nam the polished stick. He asked Name to copy the rhythms the Bard clapped out. The simple ones, Nam had no trouble with. But as the patterns became more complex, Nam had trouble remembering all the beats and keeping in time. Next, the Bard showed Nam some breathing exercises before asking Nam to sing. First, they started with singing just a single tone, and then a series of notes and simple melodies. Nam tried his best, but he couldn't quite match the Bard; he was always a little high or a little low. The Bard then asked Nam to sing a song-- any song. Nam was a little embarrassed, since he had never sung by himself in front of anyone before. He tried singing "Ox Carter's Folly", but quickly found he had forgotten half the words.
As Nam struggled through the song, Magu-shi put his hand on Nam's shoulder. "Enough." Nam stopped and looked up at the Bard, who said with a hint of regret, "Remember that to be a Bard, you had to both love music and have the talent? I'm afraid I don't think you have what it takes to be a Bard. Normally, the test also involves instruments, but I think I've heard enough. If you were closer to the Capital, I would suggest you would do well in the chorus of the Opera, but that would be the best you could hope for."
Nam looked crestfallen, "I'm sorry..."
"Oh, don't be," quickly replied the Bard, "It's pretty rare to have both. If we take 100 boys in the Capital for testing, we maybe find 5 who have both the talent and the love, and another 15 that has one or the other. " The Bard turned to pack his things. "I will let your father know my verdict." When everything was packed, the Bard hopped off the porch and half-bowed to Nam again before heading back to the paddies to speak with Father.
Nam sat in the disappearing shade of the porch, a little stunned. Not long after the Bard left, Xie kneeled on the woven mat just inside near Nam. "Oh, he's gone already?" she asked innocently. Nam just nodded slowly. "What was the verdict?"
Nam started to cry, for the first time since he was a child.
That night, Nam didn't go to see the Bard one last time, but the music still floated around inside his head.
The next day, Nam was down at the canal for the paddies to make sure the gate was working right, when he spotted the Bard coming up the road. There was no greeting in him this day, so he pretended to ignore him and concentrate on the work.
"How goes the harvest?"
Nam looked up and saw the Bard standing in his traveling clothes, his pack slung over his shoulder. Nam stood up and replied flatly, "It goes well. What news do you bring?"
"I came to say goodbye, Nam. I need to get into the mountain holdings before nightfall." The Bard paused a little. "I appreciated your work for me this week, and I wanted to give you something."
Nam quickly dunked his hands in the canal and wiped them on his tunic before he approached before the Bard. The Bard then bowed deeply and offered a small packet with both hands to Nam, in a highly formal gesture. Nam accepted it and bowed in return, stunned. "And thank you for playing for our village and testing me," Nam nearly shouted in return. "I have nothing to give, but..."
The Bard straightened and smiled. "But you did plenty. You have a fine work ethic that will serve you well for your entire life. You will be a fine man, Nam. I wish you well."
With that, the Bard bowed again and headed down the road towards the mountains.
It was at the midday meal that Nam finally opened the package. Inside, the item looked like a small fue, but made of metal. Inside was also a note. Nam handed the note to Xie to read it. "Thank you. I picked this up in Muba to give my nephew, but I think you'll better appreciate it. Magu-shi."
Nam gave the toy an experimental blow at the mouth like he saw the Bard do, and it let out a high pitched squeak.
"Oh, there's one more thing, Nam. On the back is another note. 'If you can't remember the words, you can always hum the tune.'"
The toy was put in a place of honor and Nam hummed a tune as he headed back to the fields.