THE CASTLE OF STEPHEN THE GREAT
How quickly the month at the farm-house passed! Every day there was so
much to see and do, and once in a while there was an excursion to some
place of interest. The furthest one taken was when Jonitza and Katinka
went with the maid who had accompanied Jonitza's mother to the country,
for a couple of days' visit to her home in a place called Niamtz.
The day after they reached the straggling village, the children were
allowed out to play. They were attracted to a great red earth cliff,
where they began digging tunnels and building little cave houses.
Tiring of that they wandered up toward the cliff's summit, gathering
the beautiful wild flowers that they found on the way, and resting
now and then under some leafy tree. When they reached the top they
both shouted with delight at finding the ruins of a castle. What a
delightful place in which to play! There were four corner towers,
strong buttresses and battlemented walls, as well as a large moat all
the way around, now overgrown with trees.
Jonitza, who was blessed with a good memory, recalled what he had
been told about the place and so hastened to instruct Katinka in his
own fashion, emphasizing every word that he considered of importance.
"This," said he, in his tutor's manner, "is the old castle celebrated
in many of our songs, of one of our greatest kings called _Stephen the
Great_.
"One day, Stephen the Great was fighting the Turks who were _winning_.
He thought it was no use fighting any longer and made for home as
quickly as he could. He thought _his mother_ would be _glad_ he wasn't
killed. But instead of that she met him at the _big_ gate you see
over there, and told him he ought to be ashamed to _give up_; that he
was fighting to free his people, and that she wouldn't _ever_ open
the gates to him and his army unless he came back as _victor_." (Here
Jonitza gave an especial emphasis to the last word.) "So Stephen said,
'All right,' and went back. He met the Turks in a narrow valley and was
so mad that he killed almost every one of them. He was a very brave
man, and I'm going to be like him."
These last words were hardly spoken when there was a clap of thunder
and flash of lightning, followed by a sudden heavy downpour of rain.
The children hurried to shelter which they found in one of the towers.
[Illustration: "IT WAS ONLY MARITZA"]
It was dark there and the wind and rain threatened to break through
the walls. Bat-like things flew about, and strange noises, like the
mournful voices of imprisoned spirits, began to be heard. Jonitza lost
his brave air entirely as he and his companion crouched side by side
against one of the walls. Suddenly there was a peculiarly long whistle,
probably made by the wind passing through some crevice. Katinka gave a
little shriek. "It is the _Stafii_," she cried, clinging to her friend.
Jonitza, though trembling, put his arm around her. He knew very well
that she was referring to harmful elves whom all the Roumanian country
folk believe dwell in ruins and are always unfriendly to human beings.
He tried to think of something comforting to say, but at first only
managed to clear his throat. After a bit what he did whisper was: "We
ought to have some milk to give them." At this Katinka cried more than
ever. "That's what they say, but we haven't any, we haven't any," she
repeated almost in a shriek.
This was followed by another shriek as a dark form shut out what little
light reached them. But it was only Maritza, who had come with a big
umbrella to their rescue.