Marden’s daughter Mulfra Quoit is born
I gave birth to my new baby daughter a few days ago. Mulfra Quoit is her name and she arrived in the field after I’d been rolling and humming for a little while. I felt uncomfortable and it didn’t help that all the other llamas (including three day old Carnac) were buzzing round like bees.
Our people like to help – it makes them feel better – but keeping the youngest females away was the only useful thing they did. I gave birth to my little girl and all was well. Mulfra Quoit was dried off and struggled to her feet.
My people don’t like that I was brought up in the ‘tough love’ maternal school by my mother Tenbury Wells. Tough love means treading on the baby’s feet and neck and kicking baby in the head to make her get up, and my people dive in to protect the cria. Can’t say it ever did any harm to my first born, Flowerdown, who has grown to be a strong young llama. I don’t have time for gentle nuzzling and coaxing of the cria when I want her to feed. (You should see Long Meg trying to persuade a sleepy Carnac to wake for food). No! If I’ve decided Mulfra needs a feed, she’ll get up when I tell her. Suits me.
Ever since the birth, the herd has enjoyed itself in the field. Young ones integrate quickly and the one and two year olds are keen to play with the youngsters. I hum loudly when my daughter goes two far away from her mother, but she and Carnac are enjoying playing and chasing each other.
Less than a week old, growing and learning to be a little llama, that is the life of Mulfra Quoit.
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