Once, when Yelm ruled his Empire [1],
he decided to give his people holidays to make their work easier. All of
the peoples of his Empire sent a representative to Yelm's Court to claim
their holidays. Yelm gave each of the representatives five holidays for
their people. The Pentian representative loaded the holidays on his cart [2]
and set off for his plains. Before he arrived home, the axle broke and
the cart overturned, spilling the holidays onto the ground where they were
lost. The poor man returned home and said that he had no holidays to give
the people. After this, the people found that their work was long and tiring,
for they had no holidays to break the work up. After a while, they asked
their representative to return to Yelm's Court and beg for more holidays
as their were lost. When he reached Yelm's Court, the representative was
led into Yelm's presence and the Emperor asked who he was and what he wanted.
"I am the Pentian representative and I have come to beg for some more holidays,
for ours were lost when my cart overturned with a broken axle. My people
are sad for they work and work and have no days off to do other things.
We need holidays, my Lord." the representative said. Yelm looked at him
and it seemed that he was saddened, "I am sorry," he said, "but I have
run out of holidays. If you really have need of holidays, invite guests
to your yurts. When they come, ask them to bring a holiday as a gift. That
way you can have as many holidays as you need."
The representative returned to Pent and told them what Yelm had said. Ever since, the Pentian people are known for their hospitality, for whenever a guest comes to a Pentian yurt, they stop working and declare a holiday, they feast and drink and make merry. This is Pentian hospitality.
2. Pentians do not just ride
horses. They often draw small carts behind their horses to carry goods.
These are not heavy carts as the plains of Pent do not have roads or even
trackways. These are steppe carts and are light and easy to drive.
[End]