Page:The Gypsy Lad of Roumania (1914).djvu/9

Rh by a hope, he turned toward the spot where Taka’s hut had stood. He was not disappointed. Taka had remembered him. In a hollow stump, carefully covered, and weighted with stones to keep it from animals, he found bread, cheese and dried meat. He sat down to eat, putting off the disagreeable task of planning some course of action. He ate as much as he could hold, and then scattered crumbs for the dove which flew about him.

For three days, he idled in the forest, eating and sleeping when he would. Then, the food being gone, hunger drove him from the place of the encampment. He traveled all of the next day, and saw but a single house. From that, he was driven away. Weary, hungry and miserable, he lay under a tree that night. The next day he went on. Toward noon he saw a number of burrow-like structures on the hillside. These were the underground homes of the poorest of the peasants. Very timidly he approached the first one, and asked for food.

“Surely child, come in and eat!” said the tall, stately peasant woman who heard him. Like a royal princess, she led the way over the rough earth floor. She seated him on a couch covered with sheepskins, and gave him bread and meat in his hand. He ate ravenously. But even in the midst of his meal, he paused to give crumbs to Beauty. The woman’s grave face lightened.

“Thou art a kind boy,” she said.

“Nay,” said Peter, in some wonder, “but I love Beauty. I would not have him go hungry.”

When Peter had eaten, she bade him lie down and rest. He fell asleep almost immediately on the sheep-