THE WOLF-TAMER

Once there was a man from Aliano. He spoke with a strange voice and since he had

lived in different places he spoke various dialects . He was almost 90 and his face

gave an effect of timelessness . It was wrinkled like a dried-up apple and he had 2

piercing bright blue eyes.

He worked as a grave-digger and town vicar. At all hours of day he went through

the streets of the village blowing his horn and calling out the news of the day : the

arrival of a peddler , a new law proclaimed by the mayor , an hour set for a funeral .

Then it was he who carried the dead to the cemetary , dug the grave and buried

them . The old man had a secret talent : he was in touch with forces below the

earth , he could call up spirits, and he had a power over animals . His original

trade, before old age was that of wolf-tamer . He could either make the wolves

come down into the villages , or keep them away , as he wished ; they simply could

not resist him.

People said that when he was young he wandered over the mountains followed by

savage wolf-packs . This talent caused him to be held in high esteem , and when

the winter was severe , various villages called upon him to keep away the cold and

hungry woodland beasts.In his youth he could mow as much wheat in a day as fifty

men. At the end of day when the peasants were covered with dirt and sweat , their

backs aching from fatigue

and their heads buzzing from exposure to the sun , the wolf- tamer was fresh as he

had been in the morning . It seemed as if an invisible presence worked with him

and this presence was there throughout his life .

GNOMES

Gnomes are tiny creatures who know all the secrets of the earth . The

peasants believed that gnomes are the spirits or ghosts of children who

have died without bring baptised . Years ago it was common that the

peasants did not baptize their children for years after birth . It is believed

that the gnomes greatest delight is to tease people .

They tickle the feet of those who are sleepping , pull sheets off the beds ,

throw sand into people’s eyes , upset wine glasses , hide in draughts of air

so as blow papers about , and make wet clothes fall off the line into the dirt ,

pull chairs out from under women , hide things in out-of-the-way places ,

curdle milk , pinch, pull hair , buzz and sting like mosquitoes . But they are

innocent sprites , their mischief is never serious but always in the guise of a

joke ; however annoying they may be , they never cause serious harm .

They are mischievous and playful and it is almost impossible to catch them .

On their heads they wear a red hood that is bigger than they are and if it is

lost they weep and are quite disconsolate until they have found it .

The only way to avoid their tricks is to hold them by the hood and it you

can take it away from them , they will throw themselves at your feet in

tears and implore you to give it back .

Beneath their childish playfulness the gnomes are very wise ; they know

everything below the surface of the earth and , of course , the location of buried

treasure . In order to recover his red hood , which he cannot live without, a gnome

will promise to tell you where a treasure is hidden .

But you must not give him back his hood until he has led you to the

treasure because as long as you have his hood the gnome will serve you .

But if he has his hood he will run away , laughing and mocking . And will

not keep his promise to show you the treasure .