They often played at banditti, armed with guns of cane. They had a suitable den, and Anania the soldier never succeeded in discovering the robber, though the latter cried Cuckoo from the thicket in which he crouched. A real cuckoo would answer from the distance, and often the children, forgetting their murderous intent, would go off in search of the melancholy bird--a search no more successful than the search for the robber. When they seemed quite close to the mysterious voice, it would sob further off, and still further. Then the little brothers in ill luck, buried in the grass, or outstretched on the mossy rock, would punish the cuckoo with questions. Zuanne being shy only said-- _Cuccu bellu agreste Cuckoo, beautiful wild thing, Narami itte ora est._ Tell me what o'clock doth ring. and the bird would call seven times when he ought to have answered ten. Nevertheless Anania ventured bolder demands. _Cuccu bellu e' mare Cuckoo, beauty of the sea, Cantos annos bi cheret a How many years shall marry m'isposare?_ me? "Cu--cu--cu--cu." "Four years, you little devil! You're going to marry young!" sang out Zuanne. "Be quiet. He didn't hear me." _Cuccu bellu 's lizu Cuckoo, beauty of lily fair, Cantos annos bi cheret a fagher In how many years shall my fixu?_ son be here? This time the cuckoo gave a reasonable answer, and the children in the great silence, broken only by the melancholy oracle, went on with questions not entirely merry. _Cuccu, bellu e sorre Cuckoo, beauty and sister dear. Cantos annos bi cheret a mi In how many years will my morrer?_ death draw near? Once Anania went away by himself. He walked along the high road, up and up; then crossed the copses and climbed among the granite boulders, traversing long hollows covered with the little violet flowers of the heather. At last he reached the top of what seemed an immense mountain. The sun had vanished, but he fancied there were great fires flaming behind the purple hills of the horizon, and sending up burning light over the whole sky. Anania was frightened by the red heaven; by the height he had reached, and the terrible silence which surrounded him. He thought of Zuanne's father and looked round in a panic. Ah! though he meant to be a soldier he was mortally afraid of robbers! and the long black cloak on the sooty wall at home gave him spasms of terror. Almost head over heels he fled from his peak and was glad when he heard Zuanne calling him. Zuanne's great wish was to see the brigands; so Anania told him where he had been and described the black mountains and the flaming sky; then added that he had seen them. The widow's son was first contemptuous, then excited. He looked at Anania with respect, as thoughtful and taciturn they returned home together, followed by the goats whose little bells tinkled plaintively in the silence of the twilight.