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Cupper By: Christine Dziedzic
Introduction You are a lowly serf, Carlisle. You have had a fairly pleasant life as far as serf lives go. There was always a struggle to pay the taxes but nothing that left you in unbearable debt. You have always been a faithful worker. In times of rebellion you stayed loyal to your master. However you are getting old now. You have two daughters and a wife to look after. Your work alone will not keep your plot of land fruitful. Not with out the help of a farm hand, and you can not afford such a luxury as that. No one will be able to look after the fields once you die. You don’t want to leave your family with nothing when you die. However you don’t see a way to accomplish this because of your standings in the feudal system. The next day during your noon day meal the Lord of your manor approaches you. You immediately stand up and bow. You have never exchanged words with him before. What could it be that he would want to talk to a lowly serf like you about? He start of by telling you how he has heard such great things about you, that you are hard working and loyal. He would like to offer you a job at a castle of his friend. He says that the job will keep you and your family well feed now and after you die. There might even be a place as chambermaids for you daughters, if they are half as hard working as you are. Do you: Take the job: Take The Job Politely decline. Politely Decline
Take The Job You are ecstatic it seems like the storm of your life has passed, no more worry or pain. Your family will be taken care of. You are not quite sure what you will be doing at the castle but it cant be worse then it is now, right? You and your family pack your meager belongings in a satchel. And head off to your new life. It is a fairly long trip your destination. Thought begin to flood your head " will you see your home town again?" as the scenic English landscape travels pass. As you arrive at your destination your mouth gapes in awe. Your at the royal palace! You assumed that you would be going to a near by manor and Maybe supervise some serf in the fields. That was obviously not the case, the castle did not even have fields. What could you be there to do? You are taken through the kitchen entrance to enter the palace, when you here just a snitch of a conversation between two people who appear to be a chef and a waiter, "the king is insufferable" vents the chef. In reply the waiter says" don’t worry it will be all taken care of". You don’t think much of the conversation because you are whisked off in the opposite direction. Your guide brings you into a giant hall adorned with portraits along the wall. You suddenly see a man who could not be anyone but the king! You immediately drop to your knees in a deep bow. The king addresses your guide saying " is this the lad I have been recommended to be my cupper?". ( note to reader: a cupper tests the kings food for poison) You are nocked off your feet in a surprise! A cupper, why he is honored to be trusted enough to have the kings life in his hands. Your lord was not joking when he said you will be well fed. You will be eating off the kings table! Then you realize what the position would mean for you. It could mean death, what if the food was indeed poisoned? How frightening, knowing each bite could be your last! You must make a decision. Will you decline the job? Offending the king, there is no why to tell how he will react! He could sentence you to execution or maybe he would be fine with it. But then you would have to go back to the manor and live out the rest of your life as a lowly farm hand. Or you could take the job and risk being poisoned. But then your daughters would be imploded as chambermaids, saving them from the hunger ridden life of a serf. Who knows you might not even be poisoned. So what do you do? A: Decline Decline B: Except Except
Decline The king is furious, insulted, and ready for blood! How dare a commoner such as you decline his gratitude. It is not ever day that one with your standings gets such a chance! He orders you to be putt to death! You will be hanged at day break. Your family will be sent back to your village. No one will want to marry daughters of a criminal. What have you done?
Accept Well ,you did not actually say anything, you were expected to except anyways. Who would decline the king besides a fool? You are lead to your chamber, a rather plain looking room with a sturdy wood table, chair, and bed. You and your family set down your satchel. Your daughter and wife are given instructions on there new jobs. You prepare for your first meal as a Cupper. You were explained to earlier today, that you were expect to prompt to each meal dresses in your uniform. You are not to speak innless spoken to. Your first meal was a successes. You sampled many foods, roasted goose, soups, and cakes. You consumed no poison. Since you only have to work at meal time, you have plenty of free time to roam the castle. As you walk through the expansive condors of the palace, you over hear many conversations such as court gossip. One day you hear the same Chef and waiter talking do you A. Stay and listen Stay and Listen B. Keep walking Keep Walking
Stay and Listen You step behind a old grandfather clock in hope of not being seen. What you hear is truly shocking. The chef and the waiter are planning to poison the king! All of sudden you sneeze! A deathly silence follows. The waiter steps out from in front of the clock with a look that could kill and a kitchen knife. You freeze in terror, Is this how it would end? Well yep it is. He stabs you and all goes black. Never eaves drop!
Keep Walking You decide that you should not stay to eavesdrop. The chef is scary enough you don’t want to get on her bad side if you get caught. The next night, you sense some on ease of the palace staff. You don’t think much of it because that night there is a huge banquet, that you are very exited about. It is rumored that there will be roasted vision, your favorite. You are at the banquet, getting ready to taste the first course of the night. You lift the fork to your mouth and it smells odd. Do you: A. Eat it ( you don’t want to seem rude, and what do you know about this food they call Brussel Sprouts?) Eat It B. Don’t take another bite, and scream this is poisoned! Don’t Take Another Bite
Eat It You lift the morsel to your mouth. Your throat constricts. Your breaths are short. Your heart slows. Your stomach clinches. You are dead. You died of honor.
Don’t Take Another Bite The king is deeply offended." What are you implying he asks?" " Is my food not good enough for you?" He shouts. " no its just smells weird" you mutter. The king has had enough of your rudeness. He sends you to the dungeon. You rot there for the rest of your days. You should of never left the fields. You simply were not prepared in palace etiquette!
Politely Decline Politely Decline Your lord walks off with out a word. You go back to eating your lunch. The rest of our days echo the same pattern. Wake up work and go to sleep. No excitement. Just a boring norm. You soon die of natural causes. You children struggle to pay the tax imposed by your death. They struggle like you did. Until they die. All your offspring live the same simple existence. Your whole life you wonder what would of happened if you took the job? Was it a chance wasted?
