Karro, the day-labourer (to whom we will give the credit of inventing this song), would not, if he could, put one jot of his burden on Filomena of the Red Lips. Provided she laughs, he is sufficiently blest. It so happens that Filomena is his master's granddaughter; hence, alas! the need of silence as the sign of love. The wealthy old peasant has sworn that the child of his dead son shall never wed a penniless lad, who might have starved last winter if he had not given him work to do, out of sheer charity. Karro comes to a desperate resolution: he will go down to Reggio and make his fortune. When he thinks it over, he feels quite confident of success: other folks have brought back lots of money to Bova out of the great world, and why should not he? In the early morning he calls Filomena to bid her a cheerful farewell: Come hither! run! thy friend must go away; Come with a kiss--the time is flying fast. Sure am I thou thy word wilt not betray, And for remembrance' sake my heart thou hast. Weep not because I leave thee for a day-- Nay, do not weep, for it will soon be past; And, I advise thee, heed not if they say, "Journeys like this long years are wont to last." Down at Reggio, Karro makes much poetry, and, were it not for his defective education, one might think that he had been studying Byron: If I am forced far from thine eyes to go, Doubt not, ah! never doubt my constancy; The very truth I tell, if thou wouldst know-- Distance makes stronger my fidelity. On my sure faith how shouldst thou not rely? How think through distance I can faithless grow? Remember how I loved thee, and reply If distance love like mine can overthrow.