IN THE CARPATHIANS (_Continued_)
Although Jonitza and Nicolaia could not be constantly together, they
tried to share at least one meal every day. Once at such a time Jonitza
remarked: "How I wish I could get to the top of that mountain yonder.
See what a queer shape it is! It makes me think of the picture of a
peak called 'La Omu,' the man."
Nicolaia thought that a funny name. "How did it come to get it?" he
asked.
"Let me think," replied Jonitza. "Oh, yes, I remember now what was
written about it in my story book. It said that it had another name,
'Negoi,' but that most of the country people preferred 'La Omu' because
of its resemblance to a human figure. When one came near he could see
that this was caused by a big rock in the center of a mass of others.
According to tradition, a shepherd once lost his way there and began to
curse God for his misfortune. Suddenly as he was cursing, God turned
him into stone as a warning to others."
"Although that probably isn't 'La Omu,'" said Nicolaia, "I should like
to climb it nevertheless. Perhaps Vasili would keep an eye on our sheep
for a few hours if we asked him."
"Do you think so?" asked Jonitza eagerly. And he at once ran to a bluff
and shouted to Vasili, who was stationed nearer to them than any of the
other shepherds. Vasili called back good-naturedly, "Go on. I'll see
the sheep don't wander far." And the boys started.
It took them half an hour to reach the peak. Gradually, as they
ascended it, the pine and fir-trees dwindled into misshapen goblin-like
bushes, each of which seemed to be hiding behind one of the great
bowlders that were everywhere so plentiful.
At one point the boys were clambering up a steep rocky path when
suddenly Jonitza gave a shriek and at the same time jumped high into
the air. Nicolaia, who was a short distance behind, stopped so suddenly
that he almost lost his balance. There, stretched out between the two
boys, lay two long shiny snakes sunning themselves and apparently
paying no heed to what had happened.
Nicolaia recovered himself first. He grasped tight hold of his shepherd
staff and approached. "Pshaw!" he called disdainfully, to Jonitza on
the other side. "They're harmless." Then jumping without fear over
them, he ran to where his companion, panting hard, was leaning against
a bowlder.
[Illustration: "THERE ... LAY TWO LONG SHINY SNAKES"]
Seeing an open space near, the boys looked it over carefully and
sat down. "It was the suddenness of seeing the snakes that made me
jump," said Jonitza, apparently feeling that his natural action needed
explanation. At this Nicolaia chuckled and then began to lecture
Jonitza on the necessity of always keeping wide awake in the mountains
and never allowing himself to be surprised.
Jonitza did not relish this and interrupted his companion to ask
questions. "How is one to tell harmless snakes from others? Have you
ever seen snakes just born?"
At this last question, Nicolaia's eyes flashed. "How I wish I could
find a snake's nest!" he exclaimed. "Don't you know that precious
stones are made from snake saliva? If I found a snake nest, I'd not run
but kill the snakes, and then I'd be so rich I'd be able to buy a big
farm of my own."
An answering flash came into Jonitza's eyes. "Let's go hunt for one
now," he said, springing up. Nicolaia rose more slowly. "I'm willing,
but I warn you that we must be careful."
So with their long shepherd staves in their hands, and keeping watch
where they trod, they began a hunt among the bowlders.
How it might have ended no one can tell, for they had gone scarcely
twenty yards when they heard a loud cry from down below.
"It must be for us," said Nicolaia, and quite forgetful of snakes or
anything else he led the way back as fast as he was able.
When they reached the slopes on which their sheep were grazing, they
met a shout of laughter. "It was your donkey," Vasili explained. "He
tried, as usual, to follow the flock and this time slipped down between
two rocks and couldn't go forward or back. Didn't you hear him bray? I
didn't know what to do and so called for you. But in the meantime this
other Vasili here came bounding up from nowhere. And you ought to have
seen him manage! He tied the donkey's feet together with a thong and
lifted him out as easily as one would a baby."
"You know you helped me," said a new voice.
The boys looked up to see a stranger standing near. He was of medium
height but thickset and very hardy in appearance. Instead of a
sheepskin cap a broad-brimmed hat was set well back over a mass of
glossy black curls. His features were regular; his eyes were now
smiling but there were angry lines written long before around them. The
boys shook hands with him and thanked him. "It was nothing," he said.
"Aren't we brothers?"
"Where are you from?"
"I belong to the other side," the youth answered, and then added, "The
side that isn't free."
All knew at once that he referred to Transylvania, which, although a
part of Hungary, is largely inhabited by Roumanians.
"We intend to make it free," Nicolaia answered with feeling. The
Transylvanian smiled and shook his head. Then, without a word more, he
left them.
There was one other shepherd that they learned to know. He was the
oldest there and came from Jassy, once the capital of Moldavia, a city
so old that the Turks claim that it dates back to the time of Abraham.
The Roumanians, however, feel that they can do better than that. They
put its foundations to the time of their beloved Trajan!
This shepherd, of whom later they heard strange wild tales, kept much
to himself. Often, however, the monotonously melancholy notes of a
wooden flute on which he played would reach them. Sometimes, too,
especially at early dawn, they would hear him draw forth powerful notes
on the _boutchoum_, such as no other shepherd could equal.