The Tinker of Petros by Shelley Ballard

Author:Shelley Ballard
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: forgiveness, betrayal, sacrifice, allegory, good vs evil
Publisher: UCS PRESS

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Chapter Ten: That large gray horse

The days passed and life in the busy town of Petros proceeded with its usual activities. If it hadn’t been for Clovis’ large gray horse stabled behind the Café Louis, the whole incident might have been forgotten. But, as you remember, he had promised to return the horse to Clovis within the week and that week was almost up.

The closer the time came to return the horse, the more nervous poor Mr. Levine became. Finally, his anxiety became so apparent that his wife asked him whatever could be the matter with him. After some hesitation, he decided to tell her everything about his strange journey to The Village of the Gate and his encounter with the odd tinker named Clovis who lived there. He didn’t tell her about the fee Clovis had required in return for his repairs, though. I think perhaps he was too ashamed.

Understandably, his wife didn’t want her husband to return to that mysterious little village and suggested he find someone else to take back the horse. Perhaps another person needed an item repaired and would enjoy watching this talented tinker at work.

“You know, dear,” Mrs. Levine said the day before her husband was due to return to the mysterious village. “It seems like such a long and difficult trip just to return a horse. Do you think Mr., what was his name, Clovis—do you think he would mind if someone else brought his horse back to him?”

Mr. Levine rose from the table where the couple had been eating their modest breakfast. In his mind he could visualize the smiling face of Clovis, but there seemed to be something about him that he couldn’t recall. Something that made his hands tremble slightly and sent a cold chill up his spine.

“No,” he said, scratching his chin thoughtfully, “can’t imagine that he would object to someone else bringing his horse back. I’m sure the main idea is that he does get him back. But who would offer to do such a thing?”

His wife stood silent for a few seconds, focusing her gaze on the steaming teapot still sitting on top of the stove. Suddenly an idea caused her face to light up like a candle. “I have it! There’s a dear lady in my quilting circle who complained recently that the door on her oven didn’t close properly. Oh, yes. She was ever so concerned about it. Seems that lately her cakes and breads just don’t bake evenly. I’ll talk to her this very morning about it.”

Upon hearing this, the baker smiled a bigger smile than anyone had seen him smile since his return from the distant gated village.

“That sounds like a serious repair...” He forced his voice into feigned concern “…perhaps requiring specialized tools that Carl doesn’t have. You must go and see poor Mrs. White at once and tell her about this marvelous tinker who will fix her oven good as new, even better, and it will never need fixing again!”

The baker’s

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