In the whole wide world there were no comrades who loved each other
better than Petrik,[1] Ondrejko,[2] and Fido. All three were orphans
and had had a hard time in the world thus far. Both parents of Petrik
had died of a malignant fever. He became a public charge and was
sent from place to place, till finally he was placed in charge of
"Bacha"[3] Filina, who was his father's uncle, and had charge of the
sheep pasturing on the mountain clearings of the estate of Lord Gemer.
There was but a poor hut, but to mistreated Petrik it was like a
paradise. Ondrejko, whom they called at home Andreas de Gemer, came
to the old "Bacha" at the order of the doctor, that he might grow
stronger in the mountain air, drinking whey and eating black bread. As
it was, Ondrejko did, and did not, have a father--at least he could
not remember him. He was but two years old when his parents separated
for ever. His mother took him with her when she left, but even then he
did not live with her. She left him with strange people whom she paid
to keep him, and went alone into the world. The people talked about
her; said that she was a famous singer, and that many went from
distant places to hear her.
[Footnote 1: Diminutive for Peter.]
[Footnote 2: Diminutive for Andreas.]
[Footnote 3: "_Bacha_"--shepherd overseer.]
Ondrejko remembered only one of her visits, and that she was very
beautiful, and brought him a box full of chocolates, a rocking-horse,
a trumpet--and who knows what more? After that he never saw her again,
and probably would never see her any more. The lady with whom he
stayed talked about a law-suit, at the conclusion of which it came
about that he belonged neither to the mother nor the father. Finally,
he came to the castle of Lord Gemer, and from there the doctor sent
him to the mountains because he was like a candle that was ready to go
out. About his father he knew only that he was somewhere far away, and
had already a second wife and two boys. It seemed to him he was as
much of an orphan as Petrik. The dog Fido didn't remember his mother
either, because he had hardly begun to run about the kennel when a
wild boar killed her. Thus it is not surprising that all three loved
each other.
For Ondrejko they built a special room beside the shepherd's hut.
There were three large sheepfolds, and "Bacha" Filina had charge
of them all. Ondrejko had in his room a real bed, and a spare one
prepared for the doctor when he came to see him; but, because he was
rather lonesome, he preferred to sleep with Petrik on the hay, and
because Fido couldn't follow them to the loft up the ladder, he at
least guarded the ladder so nothing would happen to the boys. Bacha
Filina was a large man like a giant. His face was aged and stern; all
his teeth were still perfectly white and he had not a single gray
hair; but, strangely, his eyebrows began to get gray. But, when he
creased his forehead above his eagle-like black eyes which could see
everything far and wide, it seemed as if storm-clouds were gathering.
Not only both the boys, but everybody else was afraid of these
storm-clouds, even the herdsmen and the sheep, as well as the
longhaired, fourfooted guards of the sheepfold. Bacha Filina did not
get mad easily, but when he did, it was worthwhile. Though Ondrejko
was the son of his lord, Bacha Filina didn't let him get by with
anything. The boy had not been taught to obey; however, Filina taught
him this hard lesson without scolding him or touching him with even
one finger. When the doctor brought him to the mountains he said to
Bacha, "What this boy needs is to eat black bread and drink whey. He
has been raised on fancy foods and they do not agree with him. It
would be good for him to wash in cold water, but he is afraid to get
wet. You must not worry about him being a Lord Gemer because it is a
question of his health."
"Oh, that!" said the Bacha, wrinkling his forehead, "I am able to
handle such a little brat"--and he was. The first few days Ondrejko
did not dare resist this big man in anything, and now he would not
even dream of it. The boys did not know a more noble man in the whole
world than Bacha Filina. He didn't bother much the whole day what they
did, but in the evening before the sheep were gathered, he sat with
them in God's beautiful nature before the cabin, and there they could,
even had, to tell him everything. They sat near him, one on the one
side, the other on the other, and Fido laid his great hairy head on
the knees of his master and looked on so wisely, that it seemed he,
too, would want to tell all that happened during the day. He was still
a young, lively fellow. You could see by his nose and ears he was not
trained very much; his fur was often quite tangled because he started
quarrels with the older dogs, Whitie and Playwell.
The first time Bacha found the two boys sleeping together on the hay
he frowned and they were afraid of what was going to happen--but
nothing at all happened; he only ordered Ondrejko to spread his sheet
on the hay and cover himself with a blanket; so they both covered
themselves and slept very well in the fragrant hay.