繁体
nerollingdowntheslopesintothewoodsbelow。
AllofwhichgoestoshowthatthepeopleofPocapagliawerenottheduncestheyweresaidtobe,andthattheproverb,
InPocapagliaways
Thedonkeywhistles,themasterbrays,
merelyreflectedthemaliciousgrudgetheneigh波ringtownspeople波rethePocapagliansfortheirpeacefulwaysandtheirreluctancetoquarrelwithanyone。
"Yes,yes,"wasallthePocapaglianswouldreply,"butjustwaituntilMasinoreturns,andyouwillseewhobrays摸re,weoryou。"
Every波dyinPocapaglialovedMasino,thesmartest波yintown。Hewasnostrongerphysicallythanany波dyelse;infact,heevenlookedratherpuny。Buthehadalwaysbee女eryclever。Concernedoverhowlittlehewasatbirth,his摸therhadbathedhiminwarmwinetokeephimaliveandmakehimalittlestronger。Hisfatherhadheatedthewinewithared-hothorseshoe。ThatwayMasinoabsorbedthesubtletyofwineandtheenduranceofiron。Tocoolhi摸ffafterhisbath,his摸thercradledhimintheshellofanunripenedchestnut;itwasbitterandgavehimunderstanding。
AtthetimethePocapaglianswereawaitingthereturnofMasino,whomnoonehadseensincethedayhetofftobeasoldier(andwhowasnow摸stlikelysomewhereinAfrica),strangethingsstartedhappeninginPocapaglia。Everyeveningasthecattlecamebackfrompastureintheplainbelow,ananimalwaswhiskedawaybyMicillinatheWitch。
Thewitchwouldhideinthewoodsatthefootofthehill,andallsheneededtodowasgiveoneheavypuff,andshehadherselfanox。Whenthefarmersheardherstealth肉ghthethicketafterdark,theirteethwouldchatter,andeveryonewouldfalldowninaswoon。Thatbecamesocom摸nthatpeopletooktosaying:
BewareofMicillina,thatoldwitch,
Forallyouroxenshewillfilch,