Foreword and Glossary

This is the story of Pelle the Collier; how he saved Birkenhain lands and avenged his father and his liege lord. It is also the story of Ingeburg, the late Baron’s beautiful bastard daughter, who was banned from the castle as a small girl. The story takes place in the thirteenth century in the lands to the east of the River Rhine, in a small feudal domain ruled by the local baron. The names of the characters as listed below will seem strange to you, yet those were the names of men and womenfolk in German lands in that period. The events of the time, the crusades and the frightening appearance of the bubonic plague in Europe play important roles as do the tensions between Gentiles and Jews. Please mind that I dreamt up a story in a historic context, but as I am woefully aware, my knowledge of those times is far from complete. Please be kind if I err on some fact of which you, the reader, may be an expert!

I also wrote “Bente the Collier”. Both stories germinated at the same time, both are set similarly, but they are not interrelated, nor are their characters.

Lastly, this story was written for posting at SOL. I do not agree to any reposting or other forms of unauthorised distribution. Be kind and respect my copyright!

The characters in alphabetical order

Alke

Avraham

Bartel

Berta

Bertolf

Birte

Breno

Enewalt, Pelle’s stepfather

Ermegart

Ermegart

Friderich

Gebhardt castle guards

Greta

Hanke

Hedwig

Helge

Hunold

Ingeburg

Lieselotte

Luise

Margrite

Marja

Markward

Matthias

Nele, Pelle’s mother

Neidhard

Nithart

Ortolf

Ortwinusthe Lemdalen parish

Oswald

Pelle– our hero

Rebecca healer

Rudlo

Rudolf

Rulant

Sigfrid

Tilke

Tjark’s friend