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Blanche Jean Paul the unlicensed fur traderBy Randy
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Summer from The Four Seasons by David Teniers the Younger (c. 1644)
This series of four small paintings is an allegory of the seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter have been given human forms that embody the essence of each. Spring is a gardener carrying a tree to plant in a formal garden; Summer is a peasant tying up a sheaf of corn; Autumn is a drinker who raises a glass of wine; and Winter is an old man wearing a fur cap and mantle, warming himself near a brazier.
Blanche Jean Paul the unlicensed fur trader
Once upon a time there was a man called Blanche Jean Paul and he arrived in New France soon after it was discovered. Back in France when Champlain came back with beautiful beaver pelt and his men, he saw the opportunity of beaver fur trading and wanted to be rich. Blanche really had nothing else to lose other than himself, almost like a gambler, but he went on the ship anyway.
Soon after Blanche arrived in New France, he realized that he needed a license for fur trading, but who cares at that point, his life couldn’t be any worse he thought. So he went to find his friend Benji was also doing unlicensed fur trading, (Benji) after some kind of old friends conversations they started to talk about business. After a day or so they decided to work as a team. He’s friend Benji and him traded beaver furs with the Indigenous people and resell them to the franchise, they sold their furs with lower prices so soon after it became a successful business for them. The roles were Benji traded with the indigenous people and Blanche resell them to the franchise, and they split up their profits 5:5.
One morning Blanche went to Benji’s secret cabin as usual but there was nothing besides a wanted poster on the wet bloody floor. The very next day when Blanche was in the town buying some food, but then he saw a dead body of his best friend hanging on the wall with arms and legs nailed to the wooden board. He got really scared and ran home. After a few days he still couldn’t believe that Benji was dead, but one thing that he was sure of was that unlicensed fur trading was over for him.
Soon after Blanche arrived in New France, he realized that he needed a license for fur trading, but who cares at that point, his life couldn’t be any worse he thought. So he went to find his friend Benji was also doing unlicensed fur trading, (Benji) after some kind of old friends conversations they started to talk about business. After a day or so they decided to work as a team. He’s friend Benji and him traded beaver furs with the Indigenous people and resell them to the franchise, they sold their furs with lower prices so soon after it became a successful business for them. The roles were Benji traded with the indigenous people and Blanche resell them to the franchise, and they split up their profits 5:5.
One morning Blanche went to Benji’s secret cabin as usual but there was nothing besides a wanted poster on the wet bloody floor. The very next day when Blanche was in the town buying some food, but then he saw a dead body of his best friend hanging on the wall with arms and legs nailed to the wooden board. He got really scared and ran home. After a few days he still couldn’t believe that Benji was dead, but one thing that he was sure of was that unlicensed fur trading was over for him.
So he used the rest of his money on a piece of land and decided to be a farmer. Blanche didn’t want to die like Benji did, but still, this is a life decision for Blanche of choosing between richness and normal life, he struggled day after day just sitting on the bench staring at things, but then a young woman came and talked to him
“How is your day sir”.
Blanche turned around and quietly said,
“could’ve been worse”.
“Well every day is a better day” the woman said.
Then Blanche looked at her and laughed
“maybe; what’s your name?”
“Call me Diana would be fine” the woman says.
“ want to have dinner together Diana?” Blanche says.
“ sure, I’m fine with that.” Then they both giggled.
Days after days Blanche started dating Diana and also learning how to farm. It has been some tough days for him to live without his best friend Benji, but life can‘t just be always sitting there and waiting for him, so he eventually got over it and started his new life with Diana. They married a year after they first met and on the wedding day Diana was wearing this beautiful beaver fur dress. They still loved each other very much after they married. Then at a beautiful sunny day Diana decided to draw a portrait of his husband doing cutting works on their farm, so she drew him with a big smiling face. And every time when they look at this drawing together it just makes them feel like life is full of love. Another year passed and their first child was born, they named him Benjamin after Benji.
“How is your day sir”.
Blanche turned around and quietly said,
“could’ve been worse”.
“Well every day is a better day” the woman said.
Then Blanche looked at her and laughed
“maybe; what’s your name?”
“Call me Diana would be fine” the woman says.
“ want to have dinner together Diana?” Blanche says.
“ sure, I’m fine with that.” Then they both giggled.
Days after days Blanche started dating Diana and also learning how to farm. It has been some tough days for him to live without his best friend Benji, but life can‘t just be always sitting there and waiting for him, so he eventually got over it and started his new life with Diana. They married a year after they first met and on the wedding day Diana was wearing this beautiful beaver fur dress. They still loved each other very much after they married. Then at a beautiful sunny day Diana decided to draw a portrait of his husband doing cutting works on their farm, so she drew him with a big smiling face. And every time when they look at this drawing together it just makes them feel like life is full of love. Another year passed and their first child was born, they named him Benjamin after Benji.
And each year they would tell their romantic story to their children and even grandchildren, but the dark history of Blanche’s unlicensed fur trading career has never been mentioned.
About auther page
Randy yang wrote this creative story of a person that lived in New France, which who illegally traded beaver furs for money, this story was inspired by an artifact of a man farming, so Randy wrote this. This story was also an assignment from school, Humanities class.