CITIES, ANIMALS, AND DISCIPLINE
Next day Tony left Anna's garden early in the morning. He ambled along
the smooth motor road, singing and begging whenever he found someone
to beg from.
On each side of the road were black posts with white caps on them,
glistening in the sun, polished to shine. Snow-white oxen passed, driven
by farmers.
In vineyards grapevines climbed and twisted about old trees. In nearly
every archway a baby, a goat, or a donkey stood and stared at Tony as he
passed.
Women and children with large baskets or bundles on their heads trudged
by. Tiny donkeys carried mountainous loads on their backs.
[Illustration: ALONG THE ROAD, NEAR NAPLES]
Occasionally, there would be an automobile. Tony liked the little cars
named "Balilla," after the Boys' Group. They are the smallest Italian
cars made.
[Illustration: ALONG THE ROAD]
Tony bought chestnuts and munched them. Chestnuts often take the place
of bread among the poor people.
Toward the end of day Tony began to miss Tina. He had seldom been
separated from her for such a long time. So he returned to Anna's house.
He hoped that Anna had not forgotten to leave his dinner. He also hoped
that her father would not forget to tell more stories tonight. This was
a pleasant life.
But, of course, Tony was too wise to think that he could go on living
like this forever. Guido might find him. Or Anna's father might discover
him.
Yet if he ran off with Tina he would be a "thief like Guido!" No, that
would never, never do!
Oh, how difficult it all was!
But upon arriving at Tina's tent he forgot his troubles, for he found
there a neatly covered dish. It contained macaroni, meat, and salad.
An ideal meal for an Italian boy!
Also, Anna had really left some torrone on the plate. Tony sighed with
pleasure and began to eat. Good little Anna!
All day the little girl had been thinking of the beggar boy. However,
she had kept her adventure a secret.
But, oh, Tony, beware! Anna is very young, and it is difficult for small
children to keep secrets. Especially, when secrets are as interesting as
you are!
This evening the weather was cooler. The moon did not shine. When Tony
finished his dinner, he slipped under the window as he had done before.
He hoped Anna's father would tell more stories of Italy.
Presently, he saw the family enter the room. They had dined. The mother
took up her sewing. The father settled himself in his chair with a book.
Anna, with her dog, nestled down in his lap. Tony knew that now more
stories were coming. He leaned against the side of the house.
[Illustration: FLORENCE AND THE ARNO RIVER]
He closed his eyes contentedly and listened.
[Illustration: PIAZZA DELLA SIGNORIA: FLORENCE]
"It is early," said Anna's father. "We shall have a long time to read
tonight. Shall we hear more about the cities of Italy?"
[Illustration: ST. MARK'S: VENICE]
"Yes, and about animals, too," said Anna.
Her father laughed. "Perhaps we shall meet some as we wander," he said.
"Listen, now, while I tell you of Florence.
"It is a city of ancient palaces! In the days of the civil war, homes
of the rich were built like fortresses. This was to protect them from
the enemy. Most of these prison-like palaces still stand.
"Florence is a city of art! The famous Campanile, or bell tower,
reminds us of its artist-architect, Giotto. Here is a story told
about the painter when he was a peasant lad tending his father's sheep.
"One day a great artist named Cimabue paid a visit to the countryside.
He was impressed by a sketch which the young shepherd had made.
"He gained the consent of Giotto's father to take his son to Florence.
There he promised to teach the boy how to paint.
"So Giotto became Cimabue's apprentice, or helper. He worked hard and
learned a great deal. But, like all boys, he was fun-loving. One day
he played a joke upon his master.
"Cimabue had gone out, leaving in the studio an unfinished portrait of
a gentleman. When he returned, there was a fly sitting upon the nose
of his painting.
"He tried to brush off the fly but it would not move. He looked more
closely and discovered what had happened. His mischievous young
apprentice, Giotto, had painted that fly!
"The master was not angry. He enjoyed the joke and recognized the lad's
skill.
"Giotto became known as the father of one of the first schools of
painting.
"Florence is also a city of great men!
"One day, long ago, a nine-year-old boy named Dante went to the feast
of flowers, which is celebrated every year. Here, among the beautiful
blossoms, he beheld one more beautiful and sweet than all the rest.
"But this one was not a flower. She was a little maiden and her name
was Beatrice. All day long Dante watched her as she played about, and
never, throughout his whole life, did he forget her.
"Though they seldom met, the little girl named Beatrice was forever
with Dante in his dreams. To her he wrote most of his marvelous poetry.
For Dante became Italy's greatest poet!
"Florence, city of wonders!
"A legend tells that when Christ went to heaven he carried with him
a cricket. So, each year, before Ascension Day, everybody buys a
cricket.
"They guard their crickets most carefully. For, if one should die,
misfortune befalls its owner.
"On Ascension Day a crowd gathers in the park. Here there is much
gaiety, with balloons, music, and fireworks.
"At a certain time each person opens the door of his cricket's cage
and frees it.
[Illustration: A CANAL IN VENICE]
"This is an anxious moment. For, if the cricket leaps into the air,
good fortune will follow the owner. But if he creeps slowly away,
his poor owner will suffer bad luck.
[Illustration: THE LEANING TOWER OF PISA]
"Of course, today few people really believe this. But they still keep
up the quaint old custom.
"Florence is a grey cluster of narrow streets and dignified squares. It
seems to bulge with art treasures, and it has a charm of its own.
"Near Florence, in Pisa, is the curious Leaning Tower. It is one of the
Seven Wonders of the World. It seems to be toppling over. Yet it has
stood this way for hundreds of years. Maybe it is tired."
Anna's father stopped reading.
"Is my little girl tired, too?" he asked. "Shall I put down the book?"
"No, no, Papa!" said Anna.
Tony, under the window wanted to answer, "No, no!" too. But, then, his
opinion had not been asked.
"The next story is about Venice," continued the father.
"Once upon a time there lived in Italy a people known as the Veneti.
They were not fish, yet they built a city in the water.
"Savage tribes had driven them from their land. They had no home. So
they settled upon some small islands at the head of the Adriatic Sea.
They called their island-city Venice.
"Fish were plentiful. They salted them and traded them for treasures
of all kinds. People began to come from everywhere to buy these
treasures. Venice became the most important market in Europe.
"St. Mark is the patron saint of Venice. To him the Veneti, or
Venetians, have built a wonderful cathedral. In front stands the
statue of a lion, the favorite animal of St. Mark.
"Four huge horses adorn the door. Though they are made of bronze, they
have travelled widely. They have been moved to different places at
many times.
[Illustration: THE BRIDGE OF SIGHS: VENICE]
"Inside, the cathedral is decorated with mosaics. They are made of
bits of colored stone or glass fitted together.
[Illustration: THE DOGE'S PALACE: VENICE]
[Illustration: IN A GONDOLA]
"St. Mark's Square is the largest piece of ground in Venice. The rest
is water. Streets are canals. Boatmen guide long, black boats called
gondolas through these canals. They sing and cry out strange signals
to other boatmen.
"In years gone by Venice, like Rome, was a world of its own. A Doge,
or Duke, ruled over the city.
[Illustration: FEEDING PIGEONS IN ST. MARK'S SQUARE]
"Between the Doge's Palace and the prison is a bridge. Over this bridge
marched those condemned to prison by the Doge. As they marched they
sighed and that is why the bridge is known as 'The Bridge of Sighs.'
"On one of the little islands live the glass blowers. Just as you blow
soap bubbles, so they blow melted glass into vases and bowls. Venetian
glass is famous.
"There are hundreds of pigeons flying about St. Mark's Square. While
you are in Venice, you must surely allow a pigeon to sit upon your
head. If you do not do this, your visit will not be complete and I am
sure the pigeon will be disappointed!
"Naturally (and this is most important to the pigeon) you must put some
corn on your head first. It is not your hair nor your hat which attracts
him!
"Venice is a city of Dreams! And--animals!"
The father looked up from his book. Anna laughed.
"Yes, that is true," she said. "There was St. Mark's lion, the bronze
horses, the pigeons, and--and--oh, yes, the fish!"
[Illustration: JULIET'S GRAVE: VERONA]
"You have forgotten some of the other animals we read about in the
stories of other cities," said her father.
Anna looked puzzled.
"Don't you remember the crickets of Florence?" asked her father. "And
that fly which Giotto painted on the nose of Cimabue's painting!"
"Oh, that was a nice chapter," said the little girl. "Now some more."
Her father began to read again:
"The greatest playwright in the world was Shakespeare. He was an
Englishman. He wrote a play called 'Romeo and Juliet.'"
"Was it about animals?" asked Anna.
"No," smiled her father. "It was about two lovers. It is a very famous
story and the scene is laid in Verona, an Italian city.
"In Verona there is a beautiful little grave where they say Romeo and
Juliet are buried. The statue of Shakespeare stands over it."
"But how can they be buried if they were only book people?" asked Anna.
"That is a good question," said her father. "Of course, it cannot be
true unless such people really lived."
[Illustration: WASHING CLOTHES]
"Maybe they buried the book which Mr. Shakespeare wrote!" decided Anna.
Just then there came a queer, muffled noise under the window. Tony had
sneezed! Anna's father, turning the pages of the book, did not seem to
hear it. But Anna, who had been thinking of Tony, did.
She wanted so much to tell her father about the poor boy. She really did
not think that her father would be unkind to him. Yet she had promised
to say nothing, and she must keep her word.
"Papa," she suddenly asked. "If you had a little boy who told stories
and did not obey, what would you do to him?"
Her father hesitated a moment. Then he answered, "I would try to teach
him the beauty of truth and I would discipline him."
His voice had a very severe ring. He continued:
"There are too many lazy little beggars in the streets of Naples, like
that lying young son of the Marionette Man. They have never been properly
trained, and they are a disgrace to a beautiful city. They should be
taught. They should be made to obey!"
Upon the word "obey," his hand came down with a bang on the arm of the
chair. It made Tony jump.