Translation:The High Mountains/24

When they had finished their roads, the children picked up their tools and went down to give them back. Once at the square they saw Foolish Panagis.

He had convinced four other villagers. They also told the chief that the villagers down below didn't have to repair the road, but that that work was for the villagers from the hamlet higher up. 200px|thumb|Foolish Panagis, how the name fitted.

—“First of all”, they said

—First of all the law says something else.

—First of all (another 'first of all'!) if the road passes a bit higher up, it will take up three spans of land.

—Three plots of stone, said the chief

—Stone or no stone, it's our field —Whereas they're taking no stone, they're passing nearby.

—Passing nearby? Good, said Foolish Panagis. But let's see: first of all......... the law! What does the law say? He himself didn't know what it said. So much so that he brought a page out of his shirt. And as he didn't know how to read, he clapped it between his palms. He declared that this had something to do with the law.

Foolish Panagis, how the name fitted. His tenacity could do great harm to the village. He fought against all the common projects. And if ever one called him Foolish Panagis, he got angry and raised his stick.

He finished by getting the four villagers on his side. From just one Foolish Panagis they had got five.

When they saw there were five of them that morning, the villagers also got angry.

“Off you go, F	arewell you Foolish Panageois! they said to them. We don't need you, we'll do the road ourselves. Your stinginess is greater than your generosity.”

Seven or eight left with their tools and went to the damaged road. But it was too late. The children had repaired it the previous day. Maybe it wasn't up to them to do it? But they also passed by there.