Nothin' to Learn Here

Yeah, I'm she.  And no, I ain't got nothin' to say to you, city boy.  I'm just an old lady who's earned the right to be left alone.  I pay my taxes to the Prince.  I say my prayers in the Good God's temple and don't do nothin' against His Word.  And I ain't got anything you're lookin' for.

Is that so?  You arrogant tad.  You come around here, askin' your questions, ferreting out them as should be left alone.  You say you ain't lookin' to make no trouble, just gather knowledge, for the greater good like.  To write it down in your precious book, so that more like you can use it to heal.  All men, of course.

Welcomed at your school, you say?  Boy you are stupider than I thought, if you don't realize that it just ain't prudent to be a woman-healer, in this so-modern day and age.  Not wise.  Far better to leave it to you men, who have nothing to aid you but your textbooks and whatever sense the Good God might have given you.  Because even if that's all a woman-healer has, there's always the chance that she might have more, ain't there?  And unless she can prove she don't have that corrupt more, well now- she and all her kin are gonna' burn, sure as the sky is blue.

I shouldn't have to tell you it's damn-near impossible to prove a negative, little scholar.

Oh really?  Well that's dangerous-close to blasphemy, boy.  You think I'm an ally, but you'd best watch your mouth.  I ain't allied to anyone but myself and my kin, and things you're permitted to say, I ain't even permitted to dream of, let alone hear.  So shut your over-educated mouth and listen, because you're right- a thousand years of tradition can't be stamped out over night, nor even over the two centuries since the Good King came to power.  But new traditions spring up, don't they?  Traditions that are meant to keep folk alive.  So you shut up and you respect our traditions or by all that's holy, boy, I'll remove the threat you pose to my daughters' daughters.  Ain't nobody out here but me and you, which means ain't nobody around to see me defend myself and my property.  And if I hang for it, so be it- but my line will go on, safe from the reckless questions of arrogant bloodhound puppies.