Healer

The slaves brought the young girl in on a litter and placed her before the Master. A woman, a servant, came in behind them.

He looked at the girl. Carefully he pulled away the brocaded coverlet and noticed several bruises. The listless child gazed into his eyes with disinterest. “How did she get those bruises?” he asked the well dressed woman who came in with the girl.

“She got the one on her thigh yesterday when she bumped into a divan. It wasn’t even that hard.”

“I see,” he said. “And you say she’s always tired, even though she sleeps so much?”

“Yes,” said the woman, “she sleeps until nearly noon and when she gets up she says she’s still tired but can’t sleep any more. I’ve been giving her sugar cane, for some energy, but that seems to make it worse.”

“I see,” said the Master. He laid his hand upon the child’s head and said, “Go in peace, thy faith has saved thee.”

The bruise on her thigh shrank to a pinpoint and disappeared.

“She’ll be all right,” the Master said, “just take it easy on the sugar cane, okay?”

The woman nodded and the slaves picked up the litter and left the tent.

“Who’s next?” the Master asked?

A disciple said, “a young boy with a club foot, Master.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, but you should know his father has only two chickens to offer.”

The Master furrowed his brow. “It’s okay, bring him in.”

“But that’s not even enough to cover lunch today!” complained his disciple.

The Master sighed. “It’s okay. I can fix that if need be. Now go bring the child in.”

The disciple came out of the tent. A line of supplicants stretched away. In front was a boy on a crutch and a man with some caged chickens.

“The Master will see you,” the disciple said in a condescending tone, still not approving of matters as they stood. “That will be three chickens.”

“Three?” asked the man, distress beginning to etch his already lined face. “I only offered two.”

“Right,” the disciple hotly said, “two for the Master, and one for me. I’m not brokering these deals for nothing!”

“But I only have three,” said the distraught man. “Our whole family worked for the last month, scrimping and making do, to get them. We were going to have the last one for supper tonight and since we’re giving these two it will have to last us for the rest of the week.”

The disciple’s eyes widened a bit with an arch look and a shrug. His silent gaze made things clear.