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None of these fitted our boys。 Some I disapproved of； some were impossible…circumcision for example。 I have this unimportant mutation； no foreskin。 But it is a Y…linked dominant； and I pass it on to all my male offspring。 The boys knew this； but I stalled by mentioning it again； discussed it in connection with the endless ways in which a male's transition into beginning manhood was sometimes celebrated…while trying to think of an answer to the main question。
Finally I said； 〃Look； boys； you both know all about reproduction and geics that I have been able to teach you。 You both know what 'Helen's Day' means。 Don't you？ Andy？〃
Andy did not answer； his older brother said； 〃Sure he knows； Papa。 It means Helen can have babies now； just like Mama。 You know that； Andy。〃 Andy nodded agreement； round…eyed。 〃We all know； Papa； even the kids。 Well； I'm not sure about Ivar； he's so little。 But Iseult and Undine know it
…Helen's been telling them that she's going to catch up with Mama…have her first baby right away。〃
I controlled the cold chills I felt。 Let me cut this short： I did not tell them that this was a bad idea； instead I took a long time drawing answers from them； things they both knew but had not yet thought of quite so personally…how Helen could not have a baby unless one or the other of them put it into her； how Helen was still too little for the strain of baking a baby even though 〃Helen's Day〃 marked the fact that she was now vulnerable； how and why； even when Helen was big enough in a few years； a baby out of Helen by one of her brothers could be a tragedy instead of the fine babies Mama made every time。 They told me； Andy's eyes getting bigger all the time…I simply supplied leading questions。
I was helped in this by the fact that a little mule mare； Dancing Girl； had e into her first estrus when I thought she was not grown…up enough for a colt。 So I had had Zack and Andy fence her off…and she kicked a hole in the fence and
… got what she wanted； Buckaroo covered her。 Sure enough； the colt had been too big for her and I had to go in and cut it up and take it out in chunks…a routine job of emergency veterinary surgery but an impressive and bloody sight for two
stripling boys who had helped their father by controlling the mare while le operated。
No； indeed； they did not want anything even a little bit like that to happen to He！ en ~No； sir！
Minerva； I cheated a little。 I did not tell them that the way Helen was spreading in the butt and the measurements she already had made it appear to her family doctor…me…that she was even more of a natural baby factory than her mother
…and would be big enough for ~ier first one much younger than Dora had had Zaccur； I did not tell them that the chances of a healthy baby from a brother…sister mating were higher than the chances of a defective。 I certainly did not！
Instead； I waxed lyrical about 'what wonderful creatures girls are； what a miracle it is that they 'could make babies； how precious thcy are and how it is a man's proud privilege to love and cherish and protect them…protect them even from their follies because Helen might behave just like Dancing Girl； impatient and foolish。 So don't let her tempt you； boys…jerk off instead； just like you've been doing。 They promised； tears in their eyes。 …
I didn't ask them to promise that or anything…but it gave me the idea： Have 〃Princess〃 Helen knight them。
The kids grabbed that idea and ran with it； Tales of King Arthur's Court was one of the books Dora had fetched along because Helen Mayberry had given it to her。 So we had Sir Zaccur the Strong and Sir Andrew the Valiant and two ladiesin…waiting…waiting rather eagerly； Iseult and Undine knew that they； too； would… be 〃princesses〃 as each reached menarche。 Ivar was squire to both knights and would be dubbed himself when his voice changed。 Only Elf was too small as yet to play the game。 …
It worked； a stopgap。 I suppose 〃Princess〃 Helen was protected more than she wanted to be protected。 But if she could not lure her faithful knights into the cornfields； they did place her stool for her at meals； they bowed to her rather often； and usually addressed her as 〃Fair？Princess〃…considerably more than I ever did for my sisters。 …
Before the first anniversary of 〃Helen's Day〃 those three new families dropped down the rise and the crisis was over。 It was Sammy Roberts； not one of her brothers； who first spread 〃Princess〃 Helen's thighs…certain； as she told her mother about it at once （more of Helen Mayberry's influence） and Dora kissed her and told her that she was a good girl and now go find Papa and ask him to examine you…and I
did and she hadn't been hurt； not to mention。 But it gave Dora some control over the matter； just as Helen Mayberry had guided Dora at about the same age…so Dora had told me； long before that。 In consequence our oldest daughter did not get pregnant until she was almost as old as and quite a bit more filled out than Dora had been when I married her。 Ole Hanson married her； and Sven Hanson and I； and Dora and Ingrid； helped the youngsters start their homestead。 Helen thought the baby was Ole's； and for all I know she was right。 No fuss。 No fuss when Zack married Hilda Hanson； either。 In Happy Valley pregnancy was equivalent to betrothal； 。1 can't recall any girl who married without that proof of eligibility。 Certaintly none of our daughters。 …
Having neighbors Was grand。
~ tOmitted）…
…not only '~tched his fiddle over the Rampart but could call。 I…could call some and； while I hadn't touched a violin for fifty years or so； I found it came back to me； so we spelled each other as Pop like to dance； too。 Like so：
〃Square 'em up！
〃Salute your lady！ Opposite lady！ Corner gal！ Right…hand gal！ Salute your own and make 'er a throne。 All stand up and don't let 'er fall； swing your ladies one and all！
〃'Moses lived a long time ago。
'King said Yes； Moses said No！…f arm hands； circle right。 'Phar'ah was dat king's first na~ne； …
'Made 'em live a life of shame！…allemande left！…with a dosey…doh！ Then home you go and swing！
said Yes and th' waves did part。 First couple through the Red Sea！ Now corner gal and right…hand man！
Corner boy； right…hand gal…on around and keep it ing
…right and left！
〃'A happy band on th' opp'site shore； 'So all form up and swing once more！ 'King weeps alone on Egypt's shore； 'Chosen People slaves no more！
'So kiss your lady and whisper in her ear；
'Then sit 'er down and get 'er a beer。' Intermission！〃
Oh； we had fun！ Dora learned to dance when she was a new grandmother…and was still dancing when she was a great…
great…grandmother。 Early years the parties were oftenest at our place because we had the biggest house and a pound
…large enough' for a big party。 Start dancing late afternoon； dance till you couldn't see your partner； then a potluck buffet supper to candlelight and moonlight； then sing a while； and