Firmament

It depends on the first step taken.

- Gelao proverb

Mai Liyan had just returned to the house to rest her feet, when she suddenly felt a pain in her abdomen. Estimating that she was about to give birth, she hurriedly stretched her head outside the house and saw her husband tidying up the yard.

She cried out, "'Isa, go and ask for Hatch Ayig (Sarta, Auntie)." I'm afraid I'm going to give birth. "

Niu Ersa heard Mai Liyan's cry and agreed, dropped the firewood and grass in his hand, spread his feet, and galloped towards the village of Haycher Ayig.

Hatcher Ayig is the most famous midwife in Jiaozigou. She delivered almost all the children in the ravine. By the time she and Niu Ersa arrived, Mai Liyan had already laid the baby on a pile of dry soil on the kang.

At that time, the Sarthas regarded female childbearing as a filthy thing. Due to the very limited sanitary conditions, enlightened people poured a basket of white clay on the kang and let the mother give birth to the white clay. Conservative families arrange for mothers to give birth to their babies in huts or livestock pens. Women also do not get enough rest after giving birth, and after a week they have to work in the fields. As a result, many mothers suffer from various diseases. The infant mortality rate is also very high.

Hatcher Ayig delivered babies with great skill and handled babies and mothers very quickly. She lifted the white curtain embroidered with peonies, poked out her head with a pale green hijab, and saw Niu Ersa pacing anxiously back and forth.

She smiled and said, "Congratulations, 'Isazi! Maileyam has given birth to a son." "

When he heard this, he was overjoyed and immediately reported to his parents, who were sitting in the main house.

When

the old couple heard that their daughter-in-law had given birth to a son, they were overjoyed. They turned to the young sons sitting beside them and said, "From now on, you will be your father (uncle) in Sarta language, and you must speak and act in a proper manner!"

The brothers grinned and laughed happily.

Five days later, Nursa invited the imam to his home and asked him to give the child a scripture name called Ibrahim.

In all fairness.

On the evening of the same day that Ibrahim was born, in Dongguan, Nianbo County, Pingxi Prefecture, 260 miles northwest of Jiaozigou, Gong Chen, the wife of Gong Shixiang's descendant Gong Deren, also gave birth to a boy.

Gong Deren's father, Gong Zhixian, saw that he was happy with his grandson, and that there were successors to the continuation of the Gong family's incense, so he was overjoyed for a while, and happily named the child Gong Fuyuan.

After Gong Zhixian grew older, Gong Deren inherited his father's meager family business and lived with his parents in the old mansion in Dongguan. He usually takes care of the few thin fields by the Huangshui River, and teaches literacy to the children of the surrounding families in his spare time.

Gong Deren's wife, Gong Chen, was the daughter of a blacksmith Chen in Nian Bo City. It's strange to say, for hundreds of years, the daughters-in-law of the Gong family have almost all poured out of a mold, all of them have a pungent personality, can endure hardships, and can work, but the disadvantage is that they have a big temper and a loud voice.

The first child born to Gong Chen was Jin Gui's boy, not only did she be very happy, but she also made the men of the Gong family, who had always been gentle and introverted, smile. The whole family thought of ways to make good food and comfort the Gong Chen family, who passed on the family lineage.

On this day, Gong Zhixian's second son accompanied his daughter-in-law Gong Yang to carry a basket of white-flour steamed buns to visit Gong Chen, who was in confinement. Gong Yang is a straightforward person who speaks without brains.

Gong Yang walked into the house in a hurry, threw the steamed bun basket on the table, snatched Gong Fuyuan from Gong Chen's hand, held it in his arms and circled around, teasing the child.

Suddenly, she shouted loudly and pettily: "Oh, this Ga Wa's skin is white and tender, and it looks really rare (Northwest dialect, cute)." The fly in the ointment is that the bridge of the nose is collapsed, and you can't keep the money. Ga ears are also so soft, in the future, he will only listen to his daughter-in-law's words, and he can't be a home. "

Gong Chen has always had a strong personality and likes to compete with others everywhere. Hearing Gong Yang's unpleasant words, her heart was very uncomfortable, and a dark cloud immediately piled up on her face.

Gong Chen said unhappily: "Second sister-in-law, your Amen has become a fortune-telling goddess at some time! Such a shrewd person, Amen has married the second brother who can't make a difference? Could it be that he didn't calculate a hexagram for himself before he got married!"

Gong Chen's count relieved the anger in his heart, but he offended a house of people.

Gong Zhixian and his wife saw that their second son was ridiculed and ridiculed by their third daughter-in-law, Gong Chen, and they naturally felt very uncomfortable. Gong Yang found that Fei Ju was fighting in front of everyone, his face was a little unbearable, and he secretly blamed himself for not speaking and angering a house of people.

Gong Deren's face turned green when he heard Gong Yang's words, and he couldn't get angry directly at his sister-in-law, so he glared at his daughter-in-law and reprimanded: "A mother-in-law's family, why is it nonsense?"

Gong Chen shouted reluctantly: "You are annoyed by Nao, Nao will take Nao's Ga Wa back to her parents' house now." "

Gong Yang hurriedly relieved the siege and said, "Oh, Nao hasn't finished speaking yet." This Gava's heavenly court is full, and she will definitely be able to become a big official in the future! It's all because of my broken mouth, chirping all day long, which makes everyone unhappy. "

Gong Zhixian's wife scolded loudly: "Don't even chatter." The eldest daughter-in-law cooked the meal. Why don't you hurry up and serve the food!".

From then on, the people of the Gong family remembered this lesson, and they had to think twice before speaking, and they must not make mistakes and cause disharmony between relatives.

Ibrahim was the first child of Nulsa and Maileyam. Under the careful nurturing of his parents and the love of his grandparents, Ibrahim was healthy and thrived.

Five years have passed in the blink of an eye, and Ibrahim is 5 years old. He was intelligent and studious, had a strong memory, and was able to recite fluently many passages of scripture that Niursa had taught him.

When the villagers saw Niu Ersa, they praised him: "Ersazi, this Gawa has not yet changed his milk teeth, but he is so old-fashioned (northwest dialect, amazing), it is really amazing! I think he will be the great imam in the future." You and Mai Liyan will sit at home, eat oil and enjoy the blessings!"

Niu Ersa's heart was very happy, but he said modestly: "Alas, it is difficult to say what will happen in the future, and who knows now." "

The villagers said: "Ma Dai Mo (Northwest dialect, no problem)! Have you forgotten what the old people said?" "

Ibrahim was quick-witted, empathetic, sensible and capable. During the day, he followed his father to work in the fields, ploughing the ground, sowing seeds, hoeing weeds, thinning seedlings, harvesting, and planting, and he did it well. In the evening, when he returned home from the field, he helped his grandmother take care of his younger siblings.

Like all the little Sarta boys, he went to the mosque every few days to study the scriptures with the imam.

One day, Ibrahim was in the mosque and was intrigued by the imam's statement that there were several religious denominations. When he got home, he asked his father with concern while rubbing the kernels from the cob.

Nursa told his son what he knew.

Ibrahim pondered for a moment with his big bright eyes, and then asked puzzledly, "Ada, everyone reads the same scripture, why do you have to divide so many sects?"

Niulsa replied: "Everyone has a different understanding of the scriptures, and they all think that their understanding is the most correct, and they are not convinced by each other, and each has his own reasoning, so many schools have been formed. "

Ibrahim sighed helplessly and said no more.