Father Francis

Father Francis

by Tom Thunderhorse

Father Francis is a story of two boys who were orphaned by the Black Plague, which devastated many during the fourteenth, and Fifteenth Centuries. Their mothers and fathers were good friends and when the boys were born, each of their parents became Godfathers and Godmothers to the boys. When the plague killed their parents, they were forced to live in one of the parent’s homes. Francis was twelve and God brother, Leo, was eleven years of age when the story opens. Both boys go through the village looking for food, sometimes in the garbage and sometimes through the kindness of others.

One morning, Leo comes back from looking for food, and finds Francis lying in bed sick with the plague. He runs quickly to the monastery in hopes that the good friars will help, but at the mention of "PLAGUE" he is turned away by one of the friars. Leo sits down by the gate of the monastery bitterly praying to God, asking God that if He takes Francis, to kill him too.

The old Abbot of the Monastery hears Leo's bitter prayer, and opens the gate to see what Leo is crying about. Leo tells the Abbot about his fears that his God Brother, Francis", may have the plague and that one of the friars turned him away in fear that they too may catch the plague. See below a portion of the dialogue between the Abbot and the young Leo.

Hello. Allow me to tell you a little about myself. My name is Tom Thunderhorse. My tribal affiliations are with the Apache and Cherokee Nations. In the place where I live, I am a recognised Medicine Man, or Spirit Doctor.

When I was in the eighth Grade, my English Teacher, Anna Jung, told me that I should take up writing, but at an early age, I was restless, and like any teenage boy, I was too full of mischief to pay any attentuion to good sound advice. It wasn't until after I retired at the tender age of 50 years that I followed her sage advise.