Put ½ cup of warm water into a bowl. Sprinkle on top of it 1 tablespoon of yeast. Scoop ½ cup of sugar, take about ¼ teaspoon out of the ½ cup and sprinkle it (¼ tsp.) on top of the yeast, then put the rest of the sugar into a mixing bowl.

Add to the sugar:
  ½ cup of oil
  1 tbsp. salt
  ½ cup of milk
  1 egg
 
 Mix well, then add 2 ½ cups of water and 2 ½ cups of flour. Mix well. Now add the yeast and mix again.

 Now add 7 more cups of flour and mix. The dough should be soft and not too sticky. If it is not soft and is too sticky add more flour until it looks and feels right. Knead dough for ten minutes. Grease a large bowl for the dough to rise in it. Turn the dough in the bowl, cover, and let rise four an hour. Punch down the dough and divide into three balls. Then divide each ball into thirds and braid to make a loaf. You should have three loaves. Let rise for 50 minutes. Then in a preheated oven at 375 degrees bake for 30 minutes. After removing from the oven and brush the top of  them with butter. Then place on a cooling rack to cool.