Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian
General
Roumanian Stories, Translated from the Original Roumanian
Romania -- Social life and customs -- Fiction; Short stories, Romanian -- Translations into English
Then she flew from the window to catch Ileana, who had stolen
her grandmother's bonnet and adorned herself with it, and was now
proudly showing herself to her grandfather. The old grandfather
laughed heartily, he loved a joke. From close by came Father Costa,
and caught first Ileana and then Mariuca, kissed them, and then seated
himself by his father-in-law's side. Marcu, neighbour and old friend,
Mariuca's father-in-law, and attached to the house, saw the group
and came to join in the conversation.
"Old man, take your hat; you must not sit there bare-headed," said
the grandmother, handing his hat through the window.
One of the villagers, in passing, wished him "Good night," and added
to himself, "May the Lord preserve him for many years, for he is one
of God's own men."
OUT IN THE WORLD
By ION POPOVICI-BANATZEANU
The man tramping along the broad, dusty highway gradually drew near to
a town. He carried a bundle on his back--some old clothes, a change
of underlinen and a pair of boots--and at his breast, wrapped up in
a handkerchief, were his certificate of baptism, his work-book and
his book of military service--all his worldly goods.
For three years he had served the Emperor, and failing to find
employment in the town where he was, with a stick in his hand and a
few coppers in his pocket he had set out into the world, and walked
with the steadiness of a man well acquainted with the road.
Some one had advised him to go to Lugosh; he had heard there were
many craftsmen there driving a big trade, and he pursued his way
with hope in his heart. He felt strong and eager to work. For three
years he had not seen a workshop, for three years he had not followed
the craft which he had learnt so lovingly; it seemed to him he would
hardly know how to handle a hide now. Yet with each step forward his
confidence in himself increased, and he thought, "I will work, and
work so that every one wonders, and the peasant who takes in his hand
the sandals I have tanned will never want to part with them." And when
he said this to himself he walked faster. He would have liked to fly
that he might arrive quicker. But then again he slackened his pace,
and other thoughts assailed him: supposing he did not get a situation,
what would he do then?
"Supposing I do not find work?"
He was afraid to answer this or to think of what he would do if he
did not get a place. Ah, just to find work with somebody. He comforted
himself, and putting away from him all sad thoughts he imagined a rosy
future. He saw himself in the workshop doing the work of seven, and
saving penny after penny; he saw himself buying first one skin, then
two, then three, six and more, and many more, until he had a workshop
of his own, and then, if he met a girl he liked, he would marry.
He was intoxicated by his own thoughts, and hardly knew where he
was going. He walked slowly with his head bent. He would not rest,
for he felt no fatigue; it was as though some one urged him forward.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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