CHURNING MILK TO BUTTER

            In a mountain land, on the outskirts of the hamlet Creme, seven days a week the duties of the milk maid, Collette did keep.  Collette Ann Gemm, a pretty lass with an un-pretty limp, tended not one but two cows of moo, while their cud they did chew.  But alas poor lass as her hands grew strong, sore leg did not.

            And it came to pass on a sun lit day that Collette Ann Gemm sat on front porch, churning sweet milk, while chatting with a little neighbor boy.  And when that neighbor boy saw coming down dirt street the preacher's prodigal son, William Ray; he spat out, "Oh no!  Here comes the Bully Ray!"

            Too late he turned to run.  In thumb and fore finger the Bully Ray had his ear.  "Time to lick my boot, neighbor boy!"  And the boy wept while being by ear pulled down to dusty boot.  "That's it!" Bully Ray leered, "More, more tears to wash my boot!"

            "Leave him be!"  From her stool Collette laid law, "In the name of Jesus, leave him be!!!"

            And ear let loose neighbor boy ran, as the Bully Ray stepped up upon that porch, brought his nose o' so close to the nose of the milk maid, Collette Ann Gemm.  And Bully Ray growled, "Well, little gimp legged gal, just how are you going to stop me now?"

            Not a beat of the churn did the milk maid skip.  One hand pumped churn, one hand shot out, vise gripped the nose of the Bully Ray.  O' how the pain made him pay.  And from the throat of the graceful neck of Collette poured forth these words, "Upon thy mouth thy hand lay!!!"

            Too paralyzed to comply, blood dripped down from the nose of Bully Ray.

            Still clamped on to that nose astray, Collette repeated, "Upon thy mouth thy hand lay." And this time he did obey.  Then, Collette the Good Book did say, "As surely as the churning of milk brings forth butter; so does the wringing of the nose bring forth blood. Why force wrath to bring forth pain?  You need Jesus." And she let go. And down backed the Bully Ray; and on porch steps left tears mixed blood...

            So the town folk wondered at the disappearance of the Bully Ray.  For far, far gone was that old Bully Ray; and home come home was the preacher's prodigal son, William Ray.  Oh what a day... when apology he did pay to a certain little neighbor boy...

            Twas on a sun lit Sunday morn three weeks later, William Ray scooted onto a pew next to a certain milk maid.  A maid whose grimace but in a little while, faded to smile.  A fair maid named Collette Ann Gemm, whose strong yet graceful hand... glided long that wood seat pew... found the hand of that new found man... William Ray...

            ...On a ring the collet is the ferrule into which the gem is clasped...

       ...Collette Ann Gemm both collet and gem... ...A Keeper of the Faith...

                                                Proverbs 30:32-33