Sibbald the Blacksmith, of Little Fawning

Age 12: a spark from the forge left a scar you'd show off for years.

Age 15: cursed the weather and the weather, notably, did not respond.

Age 18: a spark from the forge left a scar you'd show off for years.

Age 19: turned up a pot of old coins while ditching. Buried it again, then dug it up nightly to check.

Age 21: gave the tenth sheaf to the Church, as one does.

Age 22: the king's men took your grain 'for the royal table', with a promise of payment. The promise was the payment.

Age 23: a wandering friar preached in the churchyard, ate your bread, blessed your pig, and moved on.

Age 25: fell off a hay cart and lived to be laughed at.

Age 26: the tax was counted twice and corrected never.

Age 28: filled the great tithe barn with the Church's tenth. It was a very large barn.

Age 29: a barn caught light and you beat it out with a wet sack and luck.

Age 30: died in a famine year, having sold the seed corn in a worse one.

Survived by no one. Even the pig looked relieved.