Emmett was 10 years old when he first saw them. The village woke up one morning to find them building their tents near the village, but far enough to not seem hostile. Everyone knew what this meant, so the villagers started hiding their things in order to keep them from being stolen. That's what these people did when they came to a town like Emmett's- they stole whatever small but valuable things they could find and sometimes even food. They weren't welcome anywhere and they knew it. They kept singing and dancing all day long and usually even nights and they always left a mess behind for other people to clean up.
They had their huge horses and carriages in which they had all sorts of things to clean innocent but stupid people of their money. They had fortune tellers, potions and herbs, all sorts of jewels and different kinds of robes and clothes. Most people didn't bother to even look at them or their merchandise and waited anxiously for them to leave, but some foolish people bought from them, some regretting it and some not.
After this first encounter with them, Emmett's mother became very ill and died soon after. Emmett's father said that it was their fault his mother died, that they were the ones responsible for her death.
That was the day Emmett learned to hate the gypsies with all his heart.
I know, I haven't even got the first story going but this idea popped into my head and I had no choice... Sorry :D