Tapper's First Child

"Tapper's First Child" is a mini-story that is part of the EMPATH: The Luckiest Smurf story series.

The Story
It was only a few months after Tapper and Siobhan became married that his wife was blessed with the miracle of conception. For the next several months, Tapper had to put up with the troubles of pregnancy as Siobhan went through a lot of moods while their child was growing inside of her. Tapper tried to keep things as peaceful as possible between himself and his wife and to help make her enduring pregnancy less of a problem. Overall, though, Siobhan acted like she didn't know whether she really wanted to carry a child to full term or not, and was starting to hate Tapper for forcing her to endure such grief.

Tapper went to talk to Papa Smurf about how his wife was acting during her pregnancy, and he didn't seem to take it as a serious problem. "Smurfs like your wife has the same temper problem as your mother Molly when she was smurfing you, Tapper," Papa Smurf said.

"I know the Ailill clan always had a temper problem, Papa Smurf, but I didn't expect that my sweet Siobhan would also have it, and during a pregnancy," Tapper said.

"Smurfing through various moods is just part of pregnancy, Tapper," Papa Smurf said. "Having a child smurf inside a female Smurf can smurf unexpected behaviors to emerge and make them smurf things that they would later come to regret."

"But Smurfette didn't seem to smurf any of these problems when she was carrying Psycheliana, Papa Smurf...at least from what Empath had smurfed me," Tapper said.

"Psycheliana's abilities helped make Smurfette's own pregnancy be less of a problem for her, which I'm sorry is not the case for your wife," Papa Smurf said. "All I can say to you is that these things will pass, and Siobhan will be back to normal when she smurfs you a beautiful child to hold. Just have faith in what you believe in and don't stop caring for your wife."

"Aye, Papa Smurf," Tapper said. "I may not like what's happening to Siobhan, but I will smurf by her side until the child is born."

On the day that the child was to be born, Empath and Tapper were talking to each other in the tavern while Siobhan was occupying herself with reading the Psalms from her holy book.

"This smurf empathizes with your situation, Tapper," Empath said. "It's just that this smurf feels uncomfortable that you would not let this smurf help Siobhan ease her pain when the time of delivery comes."

"I do not enjoy having to subject Siobhan to the pain of delivery, my fellow Empath, but I feel that it's simply against what I believe to let you offer comfort with abilities that do not smurf from the Almighty," Tapper said.

"This smurf knows that these minds-eye abilities aren't entirely a blessing on this smurf's life, Tapper," Empath said. "What this smurf does not understand is how you would justify allowing your wife to suffer through the pains of pregnancy without accepting much in the way of help to give her comfort."

"Being able to bear children was originally a blessing smurfed upon creation by the Almighty, Empath, as He expected all the creatures He created to be fruitful and multiply so that they can fill the earth," Tapper said. "However, as through the sin of the first man that all men were made sinners, the sin of the first woman had made all women to smurf a curse upon themselves that would smurf childbearing into a sorrow that they must endure."

"So because of what the first woman did in the Garden of Eden, your wife has to go through the same torture as all women in creation?" Empath asked. "How does that reconcile with the idea that the Almighty is a loving and merciful God?"

"He loves us enough to treat all His creatures like His children, but as children grow to become adults responsible for our own lives, He does not smurf us entirely from everything evil in the world," Tapper said. "He wants us all to be wise and discerning between the good and the evil, and sometimes He will even allow bad things to happen in our lives so that we will smurf experience from them and possibly smurf empathy for those smurfing through the same things."

Suddenly Siobhan cried out, "Naomhan, it's happening! I can feel the contractions smurfing!"

"Great Smurfiny Crickets!" Tapper exclaimed. "Empath, help me smurf Siobhan to the infirmary immediately!"

Empath picked up Siobhan in his arms and carried her to the infirmary while telepathically contacting Papa Smurf that the delivery was imminent. He joined the three Smurfs at the infirmary, with Dabbler already there getting the hot water ready.

"There, there, my dear Siobhan," Tapper said as he held his wife's hand during the delivery. "Just try to keep calm and smurf deep breaths while..."

"YOU REALLY HATE ME, NAOMHAN!" Siobhan cried out. "YOU MAKE ME SMURF THIS CHILD OF YOURS FOR SEVEN MONTHS WHILE YOU GO SMURFING YOUR CUSTOMERS WITH ALL THE SARSAPARILLA ALE THAT THEY CAN SMURF, JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO SMURF A CHILD IN THEIR BODIES!"

"I know how you are suffering, sweetheart," Tapper said, still trying to remain calm. "It will be over soon, I promise you. Just think of all the happiness you'll have when..."

"I SWEAR THAT NONE OF YOU ARE GOING TO SMURF OUT OF THIS DELIVERY ALIVE, YOU HEAR ME?" Siobhan cried out. "NONE OF YOU!!!"

"Oh, Father, please forgive her, for she knows not what she's smurfing," Tapper said. "The Lord is your Shepherd, Siobhan, and you shall not want. He will make you smurf down in green pastures, He will smurf you beside the still waters,..."

"Get ready to push when I tell you to, Siobhan...ready?" Papa Smurf said.

"ENOUGH WITH THE PSALMS!!!" Siobhan growled. "JUST LET ME SMURF THIS CHILD OUT!!!"

"Okay, now, push!" Papa Smurf said.

Siobhan put all her energy and emotion into pushing with each contraction, while Tapper and Empath remained beside her through the delivery to keep her focused.

Then came the sound of a baby's cry, and soon Papa Smurf said, "Congratulations, Tapper...it's a girl!"

Siobhan wilted in relief, feeling glad that it was all over. Tapper took the child into his arms as soon as she was cleaned off and showed her to his wife.

"Oh, such a beautiful treasure from the Almighty, is it not?" Tapper said. "She's got your eyes, your nose, and your smile."

"Aye, that she is beautiful, my dear Naomhan, and she has such fiery orange hair," Siobhan said as she cradled the child in her arms. "I feel like I could smurf her like this forever."

Empath smiled as he saw the child for himself. "This smurf senses that her mood has returned to normal, Tapper," he finally said.

"Praise be to the Almighty for such a miracle, Empath," Tapper said.