They had bought it at the Fair of Buccheri when it was still a young
colt, and if it caught sight of a she ass, it would run to it and try
to nurse; for this reason, it had got blows and kicks on its rump, and
it was all in vain for them to shout "_arricca_"--get up--to it.
_Compare_ Neli, when he saw how lively and obstinate it was, and how
it licked its nostrils when the blows fell, and how it kept wagging
its ears, said,--
"That's the one for me."
And he went straight up to the proprietor, with his hand in his pocket
on thirty-five _lire_.
"The colt is handsome," said the proprietor, "and is worth more than
thirty-five _lire_. No matter if it has a white and black skin like a
magpie. There, I'll show you its mother; we keep her over yonder in
that little grove, because the colt's all the time wanting to nurse.
You shall see what a pretty dark hide it's got! Why, she does more
work for me than a mule would, and has given me more colts than she
has hairs on her back. My conscience! I don't know where this colt got
its magpie coat. But it is well built, I tell you. Even men aren't
judged by their moustaches. Look, what a chest! and what thick, solid
legs! See how it holds its ears. An ass that holds its ears up like
that can be put in a cart or to a plow as you please, and it will
carry four bushels of corn better than a mule, I swear it will--by all
the saints. Just feel that tail--strong enough to hold up you and all
your kith and kin."
_Compare_ Neli knew that as well as the other, but he wasn't dunce
enough to say so, and he stood with his hand in his pocket, shrugging
his shoulders and making grimaces while the proprietor of the colt
made it turn round before them.
"Huh!" grunted _compare_ Neli, "with a skin like that, it looks like
Saint Joseph's ass. Animals of that color are always _vigliacche_,[15]
and when you ride them about, people laugh in your face. Am I going to
be made a laughing stock for a Saint Joseph's ass?"
[15] Cowardly, ridiculous, vile.
It was the _padrone's_ turn to turn his back on him in a passion,
screaming that some people didn't know a good animal when they saw
one, and if they hadn't any money to buy with, they'd better not come
to the fair, and waste good Christian's time--on a saint's day, too.
_Compare_ Neli let him fume away, and he went off with his brother,
who pulled the sleeve of his jacket, and whispered in his ear, that if
he was going to throw away his money on that good-for-nothing animal
he would deserve to be kicked.
While the _padrone_ pretended to be shelling some young beans,
holding the halter between his legs, _compare_ Neli, not really losing
sight of the Saint Joseph's ass, went off on a tour of inspection
among the mules and horses, now and again stopping to criticise or
even haggle over the price of this one or of that among the better
animals; but he did not open his hand, which still clasped safely in
his pocket the thirty-five _lire_ as if it were going to buy half the
fair. But his brother kept telling him in a whisper, pointing to the
ass, which they called Saint Joseph's,--
"That's the one for us."
The ass's mistress, every once in a while, came over to her husband to
see how business was progressing, and when she saw him sitting with
the halter in his hand, she said,--
"Isn't the Madonna going to send a purchaser for the foal, to-day?"