Through the Gate: The Chronicles of Cornu Book 1

by L J Dalton Jr

  My experience may be instructive. After my first year on Cornu, I had established myself as someone valuable to the kingdom. There was a gathering where there were a lot of young women from prominent families. These were all about fifteen years old. I realized that the king was ‘shopping’ me around hoping to help me find a wife. When I first met Rowinia, my wife, I was immediately attracted to her, and she to me. It wasn’t that she was the best-looking young girl there. It was something else. We met a number of times. I found her to be very intelligent and interested in the work that I was doing. Also, her family approved of me. I should say that the important decision about our betrothal was not made by her father. Rather his two wives along with Rowinia made the final choice. Fathers apparently think that the females of the family are better judges of this than they are. That is probably true.

  We became betrothed and it was there I found out about the activities of two young people who were betrothed. When we were married, she became pregnant during her first fertile period after we were married. This was totally unexpected, and her parents and she were overjoyed. We had a baby girl, who I named Mary. It was in the tradition of my homeland. Two years ago, Rowinia strongly suggested that I take a second wife. She noticed one young woman who I admired and seemed to be taking an interest in me. Rowinia arranged for us to meet and fairly soon it was decided that we would marry this young woman Mirindia. I’ve come to understand that is the wife who often takes the lead in finding the second wife. Upon reflection it seems reasonable. Their relationship is as important and more delicate than the man and the woman’s. Rowinia is with child again and Mirindia is hopeful that she will join Rowinia in pregnancy.

  I cannot overstate how helpful both my wives have been in this breeding program and everything else. It requires careful record keeping and observation as well as management of the workers and the training of staff to keep this effort going. My wives have largely taken over. Mirindia is the day to day manager. She deals with the people working on the farm and oversees most of the operations. Rowinia is in charge of record keeping and dealing with outside people, getting more breeding stock and all those myriad details. These are extremely capable women. It is something I have noticed throughout my time here. Women are in far more important positions here than anyone in America could ever imagine. I must say that my opinions about what women are capable of have been challenged constantly. I’ve found that the notions that I had are simply wrong.

  There is one thing, that in a way is cruel. Children with some handicap, either physical or mental do not survive the choosing. The way the people handle this is truly inspiring. The children are raised with love and care, even though they know that their time here is short. I suspect that there is some subtle selection for intelligence in the ‘Choosing’, because I find that most people here are highly intelligent. This is not a land of geniuses, but I would hazard a guess that they are more intelligent than the norm on earth.

  Ten years after arriving on Cornu. I can answer one question about the changes in human biology here on Cornu. It has not seemed to affect my own fertility or to change then number of male children. So far, I’ve fathered five children with my two wives, three boys and two girls. I would therefore theorize that the changes accrue over time.

  I am very proud of the changes that I’ve been able to make on Cornu since arriving here. The first was to improve sanitation. Now human waste is sent into the wetlands if available or underground if it is not. Observations show that there are several microorganisms here that are very efficient in quickly breaking down the waste. So, wetlands don’t become stinking cesspools. In fact, if anything it seems to improve them. The same works in underground waste disposal as well. This was a pleasant surprise and would be appreciated back on earth. Since sanitation has improved, there has been an increase in general health. It is my understanding that this is spreading to other kingdoms as well.

  I’ve introduced the printing press. The people here are quite intelligent. They took the concept and were able to improve upon it. Printing is controlled by the Crown, but they are not making a large profit on the books that they are printing. What they do is to make sure that the things that have the most benefit are first in line. That does mean that fiction is almost never published now. It will eventually change. The first books are small practical books on farming techniques and other matters. These are distributed to farms and villages for free. Printing means that the paper industry needed to step up and produce good quality paper in quantity. I wasn’t much help, although one paper that was poor quality was turned into toilet paper. Another step up in sanitation and appreciated by all.

  The breeding program is going very well, and as noted my two wives have pretty much taken over running it. That has freed me to write textbooks on veterinary medicine and farming techniques. My first book was a short one on the scientific method. What I find somewhat amusing is that what I know about human medicine and biology is a revelation and is advancing medicine for people.

  We’ve made the most progress with the milk cow. We’ve got a breed that is very close to the Guernsey. I’m calling it the Cornu Guernsey. We just need to get it to breed true and have enough bulls and cows to start spreading it. I expect that within three to five years, it will start to be introduced to the farmers. A sheep like the merino sheep is a bit further off. What we’ve got now is better than the current breeds, but it makes sense to keep going as we are seeing real progress. Progress on a draft horse is going well. That would be a big boon to agriculture and transportation. They are built to pull loads and can pull improved plows, harvesting machines and larger loads than the current horses.

  The first farm implement that I introduced was the McCormick Reaper. That is being produced by a private concern working under a royal writ. Both the crown and I get a royalty from all sales. The reaper is reducing the amount of manpower needed to harvest cereal grains. That’s freeing up people to grow more valuable crops, such as wine grapes and more fruits. Right now, I’m working with the crown and some private individuals on introducing the Amish plow. That will also help free manpower for more productive tasks. I believe that the draft horses are going to be needed to fully take advantage of these innovations. Next up are seed drills.

  The kingdom has seen an increase in banditry. These groups hide in the Sud mountain range and raid villages and caravans. When caught, they are dealt with severely. The question is what to do with the wives and the children of these brigands. So far what efforts they’ve made have only been marginally successful. One thing I will not do is help with any improvements to arms. Cornu is free of large-scale war because population is so hard to replace. What weapons they have now are more than sufficient for their needs.

  20 Years after arriving.

  Our progress on creating improved better breeds of animals has been very successful. Most of the credit should go to my wives, who have competently run the operation. I was the idea man, they made it happen. We’ve got a sheep breed to rival the merino form earth. Better wool and meat. Finer woolens are already starting to show up. Right now, they are luxury goods, but eventually they will come down in price. The Cornu Guernsey is breeding true and has increased milk and cheese production. We’ve got draft horses which remind me of the big gentle Percheron on earth. To my chagrin they are called Jorgenson horses. The breeding program is now running on its own. Recently, it has branched out to crops. I’m hopeful that it will turn into a full-fledged agricultural school and research station. Other kingdoms are starting to notice. Tandor just to the west, has sent people to study what we are doing.

  I don’t seem to have any fertility problems. My eighth child, a girl, Janice was born last year. My wives are extremely pleased. The crown has also noticed. Sometime ago, my friend the crown prince, approached me about a delicate situation. Duke Mortinni, who rules Randport, had fathered two children. Neither of them survived the choosing. When asked my opinion on the cause, I speculated that it was some genetic defect show
ing up. So, I was recruited to help provide the Duke with an heir. The plan was that I would visit when one of his wives was fertile and impregnate her. I was extremely hesitant about doing this. It was not something that upright Minnesota boys do. Also, what would my wives think?

  When I told my wives about this, they were enthusiastic about me providing the ‘service’. Apparently, helping another woman to have a child was considered noble by them. If there is a man who understands women either here on Cornu or on Earth, please let me know. Well, I did it and a healthy baby girl resulted. Since, then I’ve been recruited for ‘stud’ duty several times. The ribald comments that my wives make in private are best left unsaid. I have kept a secret journal so that there is no potential that one of my children or grandchildren wind up marrying a close relative. I am still reluctant to do this and only accept if all parties are agreed.

  My daughter Mary is now betrothed to a fine young man who is fourth in line for the Duchy of Midport. She will be married in a year. What my wives tell me is that Mary is fertile about four times a year. More than is normal on Cornu and less than on earth. This leads me to suspect that the changes in biology take a bit more than a single generation to fully show up. What that means for my own longevity, I have no idea. But I am leading a good and productive life here. Good wives, good friends and healthy children. Is there more that a man can ask for?

  Randall’s Education

  Fredricke was the crown prince of Nordia and would succeed as king once his father passed on to his eternal reward. He was 40 years old, which was still young on Cornu, where he could be expected to live productively into his hundreds. Fredricke's first wife was Rosina. She was his fourth cousin and the second daughter of one of the kingdom’s more powerful nobles. He married her not just for dynastic reasons, but attraction and competence. Dr. Jorgenson claimed that the attraction was due to pheromones. Invisible attractants that worked in most of the animal kingdom and here on Cornu with humans much more than on the home world. If Dr. Jorgenson said it, then it was probably true. It did seem to work. Picking his second wife, Jolina, was a bit more complicated because the attraction had to be between all three people. And she had to be competent. Jolina was the first daughter of a prominent merchant in a neighboring kingdom. This gave him insight into the world of merchants and the nobility. Both important for a ruler to have.

  Most of Fredricke’s duties were administrative in nature. He was in charge of the Royal Guard. This wasn’t really an army; it was the primary organized armed force in the kingdom. Each of the five dukes in the kingdom had large contingents of the guards at their disposal. The main duty of the Guard was maintaining internal order. Capturing outlaws, providing security along the roads so that commerce was not subject to raids. Finally, providing protection for the royal family and prominent nobles. Most of the danger would come from some individual holding a grudge against the crown or one of the nobles. No kingdom would attack another. The futility of that had already been demonstrated centuries ago. God did not smile on that and the kingdom suffered. Primarily they couldn’t produce enough male children to keep the kingdom viable or make up for the loss of men in war. Nordia had expanded to take over one of the kingdoms that had participated in the last war on Cornu.

  His wife Rosina gave them their first child, a boy, Randall. There was great rejoicing because and heir had been produced. That it was a boy was of less interest. Fredricke was very happy. He also realized the responsibility that the three of them had to raise someone worthy to be the heir to the throne. The damage a bad ruler could do was apparent from history. All the northern kingdoms that he knew of worked hard to make sure that the people who were being groomed to rule were worthy. Ruling was a responsibility not a right, and the right had to be earned.

  When he was fifteen, Randall’s father came to him. “Randall, I want you to go spend time with Dr. Jorgenson at his research station. You should become familiar with what they’re doing there. Get to know them. You don’t have to be able to do what they do. What I need you to do is understand what they are trying to accomplish. Also, learn this ‘scientific method’ the doctor talks about. These are people who are important to the Kingdom and to Cornu as a whole. We need to learn their methods and how to apply them for the future. I don’t know how long you’ll be there. Dr. Jorgenson and I have talked and we’ll both decide when you’ve learned enough. Oh, nobody is going to treat you like a prince there. That’s not their way. What do you think?”

  “If you think it’s important, I’ll do it father. Not being treated like a prince will be refreshing.”

  A week later Randall traveled the half day to the research station. When he arrived, he was met by Dr. Jorgenson, who he’d met before and a young man his age. “Randall this is my son Morton, he’s going to be your guide in a way. Any questions you ask him. Morton, I want you to make sure the young man is treated well. He’s here to understand what we do here and more importantly the scientific method. Randall, we have a big family meal each evening, please come, your more than welcome.” The two young men shook hands.

  “Come on Randall, I’ll get you settled. My dad says that you aren’t to be treated like a prince. You OK with that?”

  “What’s OK mean?”

  “Ok is from my father’s country on the home world. It means alright or similar things.”

  “Yes then, I’m more than ‘OK’ with it. Not having to be a prince for a time will be refreshing. Eventually, I’ll have to go back to that. But a definite yes.”

  Morton smiled, neither young man knew it at the time, but it was the start of a firm friendship.

  “I’ll show you to your room. I’ve left a copy of my father’s book ‘On the Scientific Method’ on the bed. It’s only a hundred pages or so but it’s the basis of everything we do here, besides copying farm machines that dad remembers being used on the home world.”

  “I assume that I should read the book. What’s the purpose of the book?”

  “Randall, it’s a way of thinking and approaching problems. It underpins everything we do here and is a way of discovering how the world works.”

  “Well, if I get stuck can I come to you for help?”

  “Sure, just ask any of us.”

  That evening a dinner, Randall was treated to a lively family meal. All eight of Dr. Jorgenson’s children, his two wives and the wives and husbands of his children were gathered around a big table in the main house. The conversation went all over the place, from the work that they were doing now, plans for future projects and other topics such as astronomy and history. Randall found it invigorating. Towards the end of the meal, Dr. Jorgenson asked his daughter, Joanne to guide Randall through the breeding program. They agreed to meet the next morning in her office.

  When Randall arrived at Joanne’s office in the morning, he found it to be a hub of activity. People were busy conferring with each other, there were charts on the walls, and one group was comparing wool. “Hi Randall, called out Joanne, let’s get started. We’re going out in the pens; it would be a good idea to put on some boots. I’m sure there are a pair that will fit you." She pointed to a row of knee-high boots that were lined up in a row. Randall found a pair that fit and followed Joanne out the door.

  Their first stop was the cattle breeding area. “Randall, what we’re trying to do is to breed a good milk cow. That’s one that is very good at producing milk. There is a breed called the Guernsey back on the home world. My father thinks it would be good here. It produces good milk and it calves easily. It’s not too big either. It’s basically a trouble-free breed. Right now, we are breeding stock to be distributed to farms throughout the kingdom. Several farming villages already have small herds of these and are pleased with the milk and cheese they can produce. We’ll continue breeding them here and distribute them.”

  Randall nodded at Joanne’s explanation. He thought that would be perfect for the farming villages. They needed livestock that were easy to care for. The milk could be turned into cheese
and kept for much longer than the milk. What he didn’t understand was why the cattle breeding area was divided into four fields.

  Joanne explained it to him. “We’ve got three fields with nothing but cows in it and one with the bulls. As you can see each of the cows and the bulls have a metal tag in their ear. This is the identification marker. We choose which bulls will mate with which cows. Then record everything. Do they have calves, how easy was the birth and other factors? Then we track the calves as they mature. How heavy do they get? Do they have any health problems? As to the milk, how much milk do they give, how much fat is there in it and how does it taste? We go over this carefully. Then we breed the most successful cows with the bulls that produced the best offspring. We keep doing that over and over again. Weeding out the ones that have problems and keeping the really good ones. This continues to improve the breed bit by bit. We now have a breeding program here to keep producing these small starter herds.”

  “Joanne, how big are these starter herds.”

  “We feel that six to eight cows and one bull should be sufficient to get the village started. They can then decide how big a herd they want. The extras they can sell to other villages. Hopefully within twenty years, this will be the predominant milk cow in Nordia and many of our neighbors.”