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"Don't forget, I need you in the field at ten sharp. And remember to bring the rake. Annie, are you listening to me, at all?"
"Why is it always me?" moaned Annie. "How come she never has to do anything?鈥�
"Kitty's far too young. Don't worry, when she's big enough, she'll have to do her bit." Annie didn't believe a word of it. Blonde and curly, Kitty was the apple of her father's eye. Annie hated raking. Her brothers were given pitchforks, which could move great swathes of corn, whereas the stupid rake had to be dragged over the ground to gather the left over bits. They didn't even trust her with a fork!
"Here, Annie take this can of water with you. Stooking corn is thirsty work. I'll be down with the tea later on.鈥�
Annie wondered why the men had to be catered for in such a way. Mammy worked from dawn to dusk without anyone wondering if she was hungry or thirsty. No, life wasn't a bit fair.
With a tin water can in one hand and a wooden rake in the other Annie set off down the lane in a right bad temper. The lane was a blaze of colour, fuchsia bushes and rowan trees were heavy with berries. Orange rosehips danced amongst the hawthorns. The autumn sun shone down on her. Bees buzzed and starlings chattered. Annie dropped the rake and sat down to have a long cool drink before turning into the cornfield where she could see her father and brothers busy with the corn.
"Wait for me, wait for me!" came a loud wail. "Go home, Kitty. You're such a pest!" The loud wailing continued. There was no peace today. Annie scanned the field for her sibling, but could not see her at first. Kitty's hair was the colour of the corn. Annie retraced her steps. Before long she had found her sister. Huge tears streaked her little face. Annie's mood began to soften.
"There now. Don't cry. I'll get you some blackberries." The ditch was a mass of briars. Vast candelabras drooping with dimpled blackberries reached from high above their heads to almost ground level. Annie remembered the water can. "Now sit here and don't move. 1 won't be long." She flew back to retrieve it. Pouring out the water, she skipped back to the ditch and Kitty.
"We can get millions. Won't Mammy be pleased? We'll help her make a pie鈥� Annie started picking and eating. "Get me some, get me some!" Why did she have to repeat everything?" You can get your own. I'm not your slave!" The can began to fill. They ate fistfuls of the sweet fruit and soon the can was overflowing. The warm sunshine filtered through the brambles making life very pleasant. They began to feel drowsy. Puffs of wispy thistledown danced and swooped in the breeze.
"Come on, you. We're going home," " Carry me, Annie. My arm is bleeding.鈥� Annie turned around quickly.
" Phew, you're such a baby!" Annie had to laugh at the sight before her. "Look at the cut of you!" Kitty's face and hands were stained purple and red with blackberries and she had a long scratch on her chubby arms. "Look at the cut of you, Annie!" laughed Kitty. They were friends again.
"We'll have a wee rest, then you can help me carry the can." Looking around they found a spot in the ditch free from nettles and briars and lay down. Clusters of hoverflies busied themselves amongst the vegetation. Peacock butterflies flitted amongst the golden corn. A field mouse swung precariously from a stalk. The distant drone of a plane landing at the aerodrome lulled them.
"Annieee! Annieee! Kittee! Kittee!" Startled, the two girls sat upright and rubbed their eyes. Suddenly Annie remembered the raking. Now she was in trouble. Maybe the can of blackberries might make up for it all. If not, she could always blame Kitty.