rtheirpeacefulwaysandtheirreluctancetoquarrelwithanyone.
"Yes,yes,"wasallthePocapaglianswouldreply,"butjustwaituntilMasinoreturns,andyouwillseewhobraysmore,weoryou."
EverybodyinPocapaglialovedMasino,thesmartestboyintown.Hewasnostrongerphysicallythananybodyelse;infact,heevenlookedratherpuny.Buthehadalwaysbeenveryclever.Concernedoverhowlittlehewasatbirth,hismotherhadbathedhiminwarmwinetokeephimaliveandmakehimalittlestronger.Hisfatherhadheatedthewinewithared-hothorseshoe.ThatwayMasinoabsorbedthesubtletyofwineandtheenduranceofiron.Tocoolhimoffafterhisbath,hismothercradledhimintheshellofanunripenedchestnut;itwasbitterandgavehimunderstanding.
AtthetimethePocapaglianswereawaitingthereturnofMasino,whomnoonehadseensincethedayhewentofftobeasoldier(andwhowasnowmostlikelysomewhereinAfrica),strangethingsstartedhappeninginPocapaglia.Everyeveningasthecattlecamebackfrompastureintheplainbelow,ananimalwaswhiskedawaybyMicillinatheWitch.
Thewitchwouldhideinthewoodsatthefootofthehill,andallsheneededtodowasgiveoneheavypuff,andshehadherselfanox.Whenthefarmersheardherstealthroughthethicketafterdark,theirteethwouldchatter,andeveryonewouldfalldowninaswoon.Thatbecamesocommonthatpeopletooktosaying:
BewareofMicillina,thatoldwitch,
Forallyouroxenshewillfilch,
Thentrainonyouhercrossed-eye,
Andwaitforyoutofallanddie.
AtnighttheybeganlightinghugebonfirestokeepMicillinatheWitchfromventuringoutofthewoods.Butshewouldsneakuponthesolitaryfarmerwatchingovercattlebesidethebonfireandknockhimoutinonebreath.Inthemorninguponawaking,hedfindcowsandoxengone,andhisfriendswouldhearhimweepingandmoaningandhittinghimselfonthehead.Theneverybodycombedthewoodsfortracesofthestolencattle,butfoundonlytuftsofhair,hairpins,andfootprintslefthereandtherebyMicillinatheWitch.
Thingswentfrombadtoworse.Shutupallthetimeinthebarn,thecowsgrewasthinasrails.Arakeinsteadofabrushwasallthatwasneededtogroomthem,fromribtorib.Nobodydaredleadthecattletopastureanymore.Everyonestayedclearofthewoodsnow,andthemushroomsthatgrewtherewentunpickedand
本章未完，点击下一页继续阅读。