One Dramatic Conclusion

 “Baking Bread” Helen Mary Elizabeth Allingham.  RWS 1848-1926.  Mrs. Allingham was a prominent artist in her own day.  From a young age her talent helped her make connections in English Society and provide a living for herself no matter the circumstances.  She was well known for her ability o paint things as they were and not idealize the way she would have them be.  This is particularly still valued today as architects still study her work of English cottages to see how they were constructed so long ago. 

She was a widow and mother of three, raising her children with the influence of some of the greatest intellectual minds of their time due to her husband’s connections.  She was the first woman to be inducted into the Royal Society of Watercolors.  She died of a sudden illness in 1926.

Mr Souwee was so grateful to all his friends for all their gifts, and was determined not to let the incident happen again.  That evening  after dinner, Mr Souwee himself tucked in each pig that night, and placed an extra padlock on each shelter to protect their prized pigs.  Not wanting to take any chances he also tucked in small Sam, telling him not to leave his bed for anything until morning just in case the wolves were waiting for another opportunity to strike.

Just before dawn, a crash awoke the whole Souwee house.  Mr Souwee grabbed his gun and ran into the yard as fast as he could.  But the trail of sticks leading down to the forest let him know that Chop too had been taken by the ravenous wolves. His shelter just could not keep out a whole pack of hungry wolves. Beside himself, Mr Souwee refused to go back to bed.  Instead he spent the morning hours making breakfast for his family.  He knew there would be no way that he could go back to sleep. 

Mr Souwee’s Breakfast Quiche

One deep dish Pie crust prebaked in 400 degree oven for 10 min

1 small onion,

1 TBS butter

10 oz fresh spinach

1 pinch salt

1 dash nutmeg

 1 dash clove

1 15 oz carton ricotta cheese

3 eggs

½ cup cream.

½ c Parmesan cheese grated

Cook onions in butter.  Add spices and spinach .  Mix eggs, cheese and cream.  Add to spinach then pour into  pie crust.  Bake 350 for 50 min or until cooked through with just a slight wobble when shaken. 

The family’s morning was made at least tolerable by Mr Souwee’s yummy quiche.  Once again the deliveries were  made, dinner was served and life moved on.  Yet it seemed that even the loaves of bread this day seemed to rise a little less, the cookies sagged just a little bit, and the muffins browned a little less, as the head baker himself seemed to be a little down from two long nights of worrying.

Mr Souwee refused to loose any more pigs and set traps out all around the final pig shelter.  As he finished setting the last trap, he heard his wife calling for help lifting a special cake, and he ran inside.  Unbeknownst to him he forgot to come back that evening to fasten the locks on the house of bricks or the house of sticks. Riblet, seeing that the lock was left undone, laid done blocking the door to make sure he heard every noise in the yard that night.

As the night crept in, and the clouds shrouded the moon, the whole town grew eerily quiet.  Three clever wolves taking their queue from the deep darkness crept from the woods ravenous once again for a taste of succulent swine.  Riblet woke to the sound of the wolves digging under the house of sticks.  He quietly opened the door leaving Betsy safe behind walls of brick.  Riblet charged the three wolves still digging under the stick structure, as Chop grunted in fear of being eaten.  Riblet hit both wolves in one fell swoop, squealing loudly to let Mr. Souwee know to come running. 

    Abraham Danielsz Hondius- “Wolves attacking a Boar in a wooded Landscape”

Abraham was an artist of the Dutch Golden Age.  He struggled to find his style throughout his life time, but became know for his depictions of animals. In fact, by the end of his life over 2/3s of his paintings were of animals.  In the idle of his life he moved from Denmark to England where he lived out his days painting.

The wolves were caught off guard and started tearing through the yard, breaking down the house of sticks right on top of Chop.  Riblet continued to chase one wolf until he came up cornered near the house by the other pursuing wolf.  Thankfully Mr Souwee stormed out of the house just in time, firing his rifle at the closest wolf, hitting him square in the thigh.  The noise scared both wolves so much that they ran straight for the forest, with gun firing ringing out behind them the whole way.

Mr. Souwee hurried back home to inspect the damage to the yard and make sure that the three pigs were okay.  Upon his arrival, he saw Riblet trying to unbury his brother Chop form the pile of sticks that used to be a shelter.  Despite the night’s events none of the pigs were hurt beyond a few scratches, bruises and some very frazzled nerves.  Mr. Souwee, though tired, gently took each pig and put each to bed in the brick shelter himself.  Tucking Riblet in last in his pile of fresh hay Mr. Souwee whispered “Thank you friend” and returned to the house. This time he triple checked the lock on the shelter of bricks for his prized pigs.

The sun shown bright the next morning, and with the dawn brought the smell of fresh bread and hope in every ray of sunshine.  Mr. Souwee, though exhausted, set out the first of the days’ wares to be sold.  As he placed the last muffins out for display, Sam and Riblet, happily trotted into the store ready for the day’s work.  The seasoned baker took his son in his arms and smiled with pride at how hard the young man worked.  Together they loaded up the cart once more for the daily route.

As the sun set, Sam and Riblet brought the cart back up the hill, both ready for dinner surrounded by family.  The Souwee’s sat down and ate their meal quickly, so Mr. Souwee could prepare the next day’s dough.  He knew that those wolves would never dare to cross the fence of a family who would risk everything for even the least member.

Discussion questions for children to consider:

1. "How do we protect each other in our own family?"

2  "Have you ever been in a situation when  you knew that your hard work would pay off?  

3. "How did it make you feel when you saw the fruits of your labor?"

4. "What situations make comfort less important than safety?"

Math Activity:

Get out your measuring spoons and cups, as well as 2-5 cups of rice, flour, sand, or other inert safe substance that you don't mind throwing out, but is appropriate for measuring. Demonstrate or talk through basic measuring skills, and equivalents.

Use the different spoons to demonstrate equivalents and parts of a whole.  Fractions, or counting can be brought into the conversation depending on the age and understanding of your child.

1 teaspoon

1Tablespoon= 3 teaspoons. 

1/4 cup = 4 Tablespoons

Use the fractions of cups appropriately.

1 cup= 16 Tablespoons

1 pint= 2 cups

Have fun filling each container from those smaller or practicing the scoop and sweep the top method that is most useful in baking.

Have fun discovering equivalents together, smiling and savouring more than just recipes, but the moments creating.