In autumn of 4697, in the perfectly ordinary market town of Greentree in Lastwall, a perfectly ordinary baby girl is born to the blacksmith's wife. Her parents smile at her big eyes and tiny hands and name her Samora. They pray to Pharasma that she'll grow up, and to Iomedae that she'll grow up Good and Lawful, and to Erastil that they'll be good parents, though they've already gotten some practice with her elder brother on that last one.

In autumn of 4697, in the perfectly ordinary market town of Greentree in Lastwall, a perfectly ordinary baby girl is born to the blacksmith's wife. Her parents smile at her big eyes and tiny hands and name her Samora. They pray to Pharasma that she'll grow up, and to Iomedae that she'll grow up Good and Lawful, and to Erastil that they'll be good parents, though they've already gotten some practice with her elder brother on that last one.

In the summer of 4697, in the perfectly ordinary market town of Greentree in Lastwall, a perfectly ordinary baby girl is born to the blacksmith's wife. Her parents smile at her big eyes and tiny hands and name her Samora. They pray to Pharasma that she'll grow up, and to Iomedae that she'll grow up Good and Lawful, and to Erastil that they'll be good parents, though they've already gotten some practice with her elder brother on that last one.

In the spring of 4695, in the perfectly ordinary market town of Greentree in Lastwall, a perfectly ordinary baby girl is born to the blacksmith's wife. Her parents smile at her big eyes and tiny hands and name her Samora. They pray to Pharasma that she'll grow up, and to Iomedae that she'll grow up Good and Lawful, and to Erastil that they'll be good parents, though they've already gotten some practice with her elder brother on that last one.

In the spring of 4695, in the perfectly ordinary market town of Greentree in Lastwall, a perfectly ordinary baby girl is born to the blacksmith's wife. Her parents smile at her big eyes and tiny hands and name her Samora. They pray to Pharasma that she'll grow up, and to Iomedae that she'll grow up Good and Lawful, and to Erastil that they'll be good parents, though they've already gotten some practice with her elder brother on that last one.

Jann the smith is a tall man, with arms like tree trunks from swinging his hammer, and teaches Young Jann to pump the bellows and Samora to help him pump. Elinda his wife is short and broad and thrifty and sensible, and teaches Samora to spin and weave and mend and cook while Young Jann is learning about iron and fire and timing. When the chores are done, the children run around the house and up and down the street, climb into the apple tree and on top of the wall, playing tag and hide-and-seek. Samora can never catch Young Jann, with his two years' head start, unless he lets her, but she can always find him when he's hiding.