"He shall know that we aren't willing to accept his criminal offer of serfdom".

"Don't", begged Elona. "It is already too late".

But the farmer didn't listen to her. He wasn't going to let a woman give him orders and he trudged off along the path. His daughter still slept, but if she had known what a dangerous thing he intended to do, she would have done all in her power to stop him.

The family ate their breakfast without the father. His daughter was told that he had gone to the forest to cut some branches. Her mother didn't want t o scare her unnecessarily.

 

They had hardly finished eating when they heard him wailing and groaning outside. As it happened he had met the governor near the local village and immediately started to quarrel with his false master. He just couldn't control himself and he forgot that it was the governor who had all the power. The cruel person had learnt from his father how to treat insubordinate serfs.

Four soldiers jumped on the poor farmer. He had strong fists but they were too difficult for him and nobody came out from the village to help him. They knocked him down, tied his hands and feet and gave him more flogging with the notorious cat-o´-nine tails than he could stand.

 
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