danced with the other people of
the villages. Our trade doubled and tripled. We bartered more horses in
a month than we had at other times in a year. Ghitza's word was law
everywhere. He was so strong his honesty was not doubted. And he was
honest. An honest horse-trader! He travelled far and wide. But if Cerna
Voda was within a day's distance, Ghitza was sure to be there on Sunday
to see Maria.

To brighten such days, wrestling matches were arranged and bets were
made as to how long the strongest of them could stay with Ghitza. And
every time Ghitza threw the other man. Once in the vise of his two arms,
a man went down like a log.

And so it lasted the whole summer. But in whatever village our tribe
happened to be, the women were running after the boy. Lupu, the chief of
the tribe, warned him; told him that life is like a burning candle and
that one must not burn it from both ends at the same time. But Ghitza
only laughed and made merry.

"Lupu, old chief, didst thou not once say that I was an oak? Why dost
thou speak of candles now?"

And he carried on as before. And ever so good, and ever so merry, and
ever such a good trader.

Our tribe returned to Cerna Voda early that fall. We had many horses and
we felt that Cerna was the best place for them. Most of them were of the
little Tartar kind, so we thought it well for them to winter in the
Danube's valley.

Every Sunday, at the inn, there were wrestling matches. Young men, the
strongest, came from far-away villages. And they all, each one of them,
hit the ground when Ghitza let go his vise.

One Sunday, when the leaves had fallen from the trees and the harvest
was in, there came a Tartar horse-trading tribe to Cerna Voda.

And in their midst they had a big, strong man. Lupu, our chief, met
their chief at the inn. They talked and drank and praised each their
horses and men. Thus it happened that the Tartar chief spoke about his
strong man. The peasants crowded nearer to hear the Tartar's story. Then
they talked of Ghitza and his strength. The Tartar chief did not believe
it.

"I bet three of my horses that my man can down him," the Tartar chief
called.

"I take the bet against a hundred ducats in gold," the innkeeper
answered.

"It's a bet," the Tartar said.

"Any more horses to bet?" others called out.

The Tartar paled but he was a proud chief and soon all his horses and
all his ducats were pledged in bets to the peasants. That whole day and
the res