The cattle often
wandered so far that the man found some of them between the two mountains
and brought them up again. This would not do. He called up to the boy, but
received no answer. He ran to the hut and went in. Toni crouched in the
corner was sitting on his bed and staring straight before him.
"Why don't you look after the cows?" asked the man.
He received no answer.
"Can't you speak? What is the matter with you?"
No answer.
Then the man looked at the bread and cheese, to see if Toni had eaten
everything and was suffering from hunger. But more than half the bread was
there and the larger part of the cheese. Toni had taken almost nothing but
milk.
"What is the matter with you, then? Are you sick?" asked the man again.
Toni gave no answer. He seemed not to hear anything and stared so
motionless before him that the man was quite alarmed. He ran out of the
hut. He told the herdsman how it was with the boy and they decided that
when one of the herdsman's boys went down with the butter, he must tell
the Matten farmer about it.
Another week passed. Then the news was brought to the farmer. He thought
the boy would be happy again, that the heavy thunderstorms had only
frightened him a little.
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