Open Writing

T' last supper wor a secret supper — a bit like yon arrangement abaht t' mooak fer t' ride inter Jerewsalem. Jesus wanted it i' peace an' quiet — an' 'e didn't want t' preeasts an't' Pharisees an' that ter finnd aht abaht it. So on t' Thursda morn 'e says ter two o' t' disciples:
'Go inter t' city, an' yer'll bi met bi a man carryin' a pitcher o' watter. 'E'll lead yer to an 'ahse, an' theeare yer mun say ter t' awner: "T maister wants ter knaw wheeare t' room is wheeare 'e 'll eyt t' Passover meal wi't' disciples." (Another pass-word, Ah reckon.) E'll then show yer an upstairs room, wi' a table an' all 'at wi need. An' yer mun get t' meal ready fer us theeare.'

Well, these two disciples did just as Jesus telled 'em. It wor easy ter pick aht a man carryin' a pitcher o' watter, 'cos that's a job 'at's allus done bi women-fowk. The' follered 'im, went up ter t' cham'er, an' got t' meal ready.

It wor gettin' dark bi t' time Jesus an' all t' twelve disciples got theeare. An' the'd a champion Passover meal, wi' lamb as t' main dish. Ther' wor a grand feelin' abaht it, an' all — a feelin' o' companionship, an' all on 'em friends tergether.

Jesus said a lot ter t' disciples abaht 'elpin an' carin' fer one another. An' 'e got up an' took a bowl o' watter an' a towil, an' went rahnd weshin't' feet o' t' disciples, same as if 'e wor nobbut a servant. When it wor Peter's turn, Peter says:
'Nay, Lord. Ah'll nooan let thee wesh my mucky feet!'

'Tha'll understand later, Peter', says Jesus.

'Nay, Lord. Tha'll niwer wesh mi feet!'

'Unless tha let's mi, Peter, tha'll niwer be a trew disciple o' mine', says Jesus.

'All reight, Lord!' says Peter. 'In that case tha can wesh mi feet — an' mi 'ands an' face an' all!'

Nah the' wer' gettin' on wi't' meal an' really enjoyin' thersens, when Jesus suddenly says:
'Ther's one on yer sittin' 'ere 'at's bahn ter betray mi!'

Well, the' wer' all struck dumb! What iwer did 'e mean? At fust tha could 'ave 'eeard a pin drop. Then they all started talkin' at once:
'Nay, Lord! Nay!', t' disciples wer' sayin'. 'Sewerly tha doesn't mean me!'

Then Jesus leaned ower t' table an' took a bit a food from t' dish in t' middle — one 'at they all shared.

'It's one of you' says Jesus. 'One 'oo's been dippin' 'is fingers inter this varry dish!'

After that t' disciples felt reight uneasy — as though summat terrible wor bahn to 'appen. An' it wor even mooare solemn when Jesus called fer silence, lifted up a piece o' bread, an' said:
'This is my body — brokken fer you!' An' 'e brok it inter pieces — an' becos it wor t' unleavened Passover bread, 'ard like biscuit, it brok wi' a crack. Then 'e shared it aht among t' disciples.

Next Jesus lifted up a big cup o' wine, blessed it, an' then said: 'This is my blood — shed fer you, an' fer monny another, ter bring fergiveness o' sins.' An' Jesus passed rahnd yon cup o' blood-red wine, an' all on 'em supped from it.

After that the' sang a Passover psalm, an' abaht midneet the' left t' cham'er an' med the'r way aht o' t' city ter t' Gardin o' Gethsemane at t' fooit o' t' mahnt of Olives — all bar Judas, that is. Judas 'ad sneaked aht some time durin' t' Supper, ter tell t' sodgers wheeare the' could finnd Jesus wi' just a feew disciples. The' dursn't arrest 'im in brooad dayleet, tha sees, 'cos Jesus wor that pop'lar wi' t' public.

As the' got near t' Gardin — a quiet place Jesus liked ter use — 'e started talkin' tul 'em abaht what a serious job it wor bahn ter be.

'This neet', says Jesus, 'All on yer 'll loss yer faith ... As it says in t' Scripture "I will smite t' Shepherd — an't' sheep 'll scatter"!'

'Nay, Lord!', says Peter, 'Ah s'll niwer loss my faith!'

'Tha will', says Jesus. 'Afooare dawn — afooare t' cock craws twice — tha'll 'ave disawned mi three times.'

'Nay, Lord!' says Peter. 'Ahll nivver disawn thee — even if Ah go ter prison wi' thi — even if Ah mun dee wi' thi!'

An' all t' other disciples said t' same.