I liked this It lets you fill in what the trials were with your imagination

1st paragraph: The use of “a certain village” and “did steal away” suggests a degree of detachment from the events described, that the story is being narrated. I was expecting a heightening of the language throughout. Then, the word “shucked” in the 2nd sentence, which is almost slang, seemed to drag my expectations the other way. The rest of the story is a straightforward narrative. It almost seems as though you weren’t certain what style of story you were about to tell. 4th paragraph: I understand why a wood door splinters when you break it. It’s because wood splinters. Straw doesn’t splinter, so I don’t know how a straw door splinters.