Hazika's Box

Author: Hatice Hale Toprak (10 years old) Translation: Mehmet Akif Acar (16 years old)

Illustrator: Meryem Nefes (11 years old)

I'm Hazika, and I'm 13 years old. I live in a big family in Harit village. I love my grandfather most in my family. I was named by my grandfather, too. Its meaning is a curious and scholarly girl. And I'm really curious. I love to wander in the forest, discover new places, and gather the things I find and learn about them into my special box...

A part of the people in my village make a living from farming or livestock farming. But the main job of our village is pottery. When my grandfather was young, he was one of the famous potters of our village. I have loved to listen to my grandfather's stories since I was small. The stories my grandfather tells are generally about pottery. 

My grandfather's pots were very famous back then. People used to come from far away to Harit village just to see the poetry made here.

One day, after the rain, I found a long stick while I was taking in the refreshing smell of the soil. Meanwhile, I was making an exploration stick out of it, my grandfather said:

-        Do you want to listen to a story from me, my dear Hazika?

-        I would like to grandpa.

-        I'm waiting for you under the plane tree, Hazika.

-        Okay grandpa.

After I put my exploration stick into my special box, I put the herbal tea that my mother made from the herbs in the garden into wooden mugs and went to my grandfather.

-        Come, my curious granddaughter.

-        I'm ready for today's story, Grandpa.

-        Back in the old days, pottery wasn't as easy as nowadays, my dear Hazika. In those days, a long time was spent making pots. Firstly, we had to find a long bone. Then we had to make mud by mixing water and soil. And at last, we used to give mud shape on bone and hold it to the fire.

-        It sounds really hard, Grandpa.

-        Yes, Hazika, then pottery became easier.

-        How did this happen, Grandpa?

-        A kid of your age goes to a forest with his family. He mixes mud from soil and water. He plays by making different shapes with mud. When he smells the delicious bread his - mother made, he leaves the game. Bread's smell and taste were awesome. 

-        I'm also long for bread, Grandpa.

-        The breads cooked with wood fire are also awesome, kid.

-        What happened afterwards, Grandpa?

-        After eating bread, the kid returns to the place where he played. When he saw that all the things he had made were dry, he got an idea. He drilled a hole in one of the circular parts he made. Then he places a peg inside. The part begins to turn after he holds it from the peg.

-        Like a gear?

-        Yes, Hazika. The kid shows this to his family in joy. Then people began to use this gear to make pottery. Potter's wheel eased people's jobs. When we learnt this, we began to use it too.

-        This means you made many pots in a short time, Grandpa. Am I right?

-        Yes, many types of pots.

The story I listened to was good, like others. Grandpa went to potter's wheel to make pots. And I went to my special box to write down this knowledge and put it inside the box.