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mafia…nunziata laughed and repeated： 〃libereso。。。 libereso 。。。 what a funny name； libereso。〃
〃its a name in esperanto；〃 he said。 〃in esperanto it means liberty。 〃
〃esperanto；〃 said maria…nunziata。 〃are you esperanto？〃
〃esperantos a language；〃explained libereso。 〃my father speaks esperanto。〃
〃im calabrian；〃 exclaimed maria…nunziata。
〃whats your name ？〃
〃maria…nunziata；〃 she said and laughed。
〃why are you always laughing ？〃
〃why are you called esperanto ？〃
〃not esperanto； libereso。〃
〃why ？〃
〃why are you called maria…nunziata ？〃
〃it is the madonnas name。 im called after the madonna and my brother after saint joseph。〃
〃senjosef？〃
maria…nunziata burst out laughing： 〃senjosef！ saint joseph； not senjosef； libereso！〃
〃my brother；〃 said libereso； 〃is called germinal and my sister omnia。〃
〃that nice thing you mentioned；〃 said maria…nunziata； 〃show me it。〃
〃e on； then；〃 said libereso。 he put down the watering…can and took her by the hand。
maria…uunziata hesitated。 〃tell me what it is first。〃
〃youll see；〃 he said； 〃but you must promise me to take care of it。〃
〃will you give it to me ？〃
〃yes； ill give it to you。〃 he had led her to a corner of the garden wall。 there the dahlias standing in pots were as tall as themselves。
〃its there。〃
〃what is ？〃
〃wait。〃
maria…nunziata peeped over his shoulder。 libereso bent down to move a pot； lifted another by the wall； and pointed to the ground。
〃there；〃 he said。
〃what is it ？〃 asked maria…nunziata。 she could not see any…thing； the corner was in shadow； full of wet leaves and garden mould。
〃look； its moving；〃 said the boy。 then she saw something which looked like a moving stone or leaf； something wet； with eyes and feet； a toad。
〃mammamial〃
maria…nunziata went skipping off among the dahlias in her high heeled shoes。 libereso squatted down by the toad and laughed； showing the white teeth in the middle of his brown face。
〃are you frightened？ its only a toad！ why are you frightened ？
〃a toad！〃 gasped maria…nunziata。
〃of course its a toad。 e here；〃 said libereso。
she pointed at it with a trembling finger。 〃kill it。〃
he put out his hands； as if to protect it。 〃i dont want to。 its so nice。〃
〃a nice toad ？〃
〃all toads are nice。 they eat the worms。〃
〃oh！〃 said maria…nunziata； but she did not e any nearer。
she was chewing the edge of her apron and trying to watch from the corner of her eyes。
〃look how pretty it is；〃 said libereso and put a hand on it。
maria…nunziata approached； no longer laughing； and looked on open mouthed。 〃no ！ no ！ dont touch it ！〃
with one finger lihereso was stroking the toads grey…green back； which was covered with shiny warts。
〃are you mad ？ dont you know they burn when you touch them； and make your hand swell up ？〃
the boy showed her his big brown hands； the palms covered with a layer of yellow callouses。
〃oh； it wont hurt me；〃 he said。 〃and its so pretty。〃
now hed taken the toad by file scruff of the neck like a cat and put it in the palm of his band。 maria…mmziata； still chewing the edge of her apron； came nearer and crouched down beside him。
〃mammamia！〃 she exclaimed。
they were both crouching down behind the dahlias； and maria…nunziatas rosy knees were grazing the brown； scratched ones of libereso。 libereso cupped his other hand over the back of the toad； and caught it every now and again as it tried to slip out。
〃you stroke it； maria…nunziata；〃 he said。
the girl hid her hands in her apron。
〃no；〃 she said firmly。
〃what ？〃 he said。 〃you dont want it ？〃
maria…nunziata lowered her eyes； glanced at the toad； and lowered them again quickly。
〃no；〃 she said。
〃but its yours。 im giving it to you；〃 said libereso。
maria…nunziatas eyes clouded over。 it was sad to refuse a present； no one ever gave her presents； but the toad really did revolt her。
〃you can take it home if you like。 itll keep you pany。〃
〃no；〃 she said。
libereso put the toad back on the ground and it quickly hopped off and squatted under the leaves。
〃good…bye； libereso。〃
〃wait a minute。〃
〃but i must go and finish washing the dishes。 tile signora doesnt like me ing out in the garden。〃
〃wait。 i want to give you something。 something really nice。 e along。〃
she began following him along the gravel paths； what a strange boy this libereso was； with that long hair； and picking up toads in his hands。
〃how old are you； libereso ？〃
〃fifteen。 and you ？〃
〃fourteen。〃
〃now； or on your next birthday ？〃
〃on my next birthday。 assumption day。〃
〃has that passed yet ？〃
〃what； dont you know when assumption day is ？〃 she began laughing。
〃no。〃
〃assumption day； when theres the procession。 dont you go to the procession ？〃
〃me？ no。〃
〃back home there are lovely processions。 its not like here； back home。 there are big fields full of bergamots； nothing but bergamots； and everyone picks bergamots from morning till night。 ive fourteen brothers and sisters and they all pick bergamots； five died when they were babies； and then my mother got tetanus； and we were in a train for a week to go to uncle
carmelos； and eight of us all slept in a garage there。 tell me； whyve you got such long hair ？〃
they had stopped。
〃because it grows like that。 youve got long hair too。〃
〃im a girl。 if you wear long hair； youre like a girl。〃
〃im not like a girl。 you dont tell a boy from a girl by the hair。〃
〃not by the hair ？〃
〃no； not by the hair。〃
〃why not by the hair ？〃
〃would you like me to give you something nice ？〃
〃oh； yes。〃
libereso began moving among the arum lilies； budding white trumpets silhouetted against the sky。 libereso looked into each； groped around with two fingers； and then hid something in his fist。 maria…nunziata had not gone into the flower…bed； and was watching him； with silent laughter。 what was he up to now？
libereso had now looked into all the lilies。 he came up to her holding one hand over the other。
〃open your hands；〃 he said。 maria…nunziata cupped her hands； but was afraid to put them under his。
〃what have you got in there ？〃
〃something very nice。 youll see。〃
〃show me； first。〃
libereso opened his hands and let her look inside。 his palm was full of multi…coloured rose…chafers； red and black and even purple ones； but the green were the prettiest。 they were buzzing and slithering over each other and waving little black legs in the air。 maria…nunziata hid her hands under her apron。
〃here；〃 said libereso。 〃dont you like them ？〃
〃yes；〃 said maria…nunziata uncertainly； still keeping her hands under her apron。
〃when you hold them tight they tickle； would you like to feel ？〃
maria…nunziata held out her hands timidly； and libereso poured a cascade of rose…chafers of every colour into them。
〃dont be frightened； they wont bite you。〃
〃mammamia！〃 it hadnt occurred to her that they might bite her。 she opened her hands and the rose…chafers spread their wings and the beautiful colours vanished and there was nothing
to be seen but a swarm of black insects flying about and settling。
〃what a pity。 i try to give you a present and you dont want it。〃
〃i must go and do the washing up。