to the old "Bacha" at the order of the doctor, that he might grow
stronger in the mountain air, drinking whey and eating black bread. As
it was, Ondrejko did, and did not, have a father--at least he could
not remember him. He was but two years old when his parents separated
for ever. His mother took him with her when she left, but even then he
did not live with her. She left him with strange people whom she paid
to keep him, and went alone into the world. The people talked about
her; said that she was a famous singer, and that many went from
distant places to hear her.

[Footnote 1: Diminutive for Peter.]

[Footnote 2: Diminutive for Andreas.]

[Footnote 3: "_Bacha_"--shepherd overseer.]

Ondrejko remembered only one of her visits, and that she was very
beautiful, and brought him a box full of chocolates, a rocking-horse,
a trumpet--and who knows what more? After that he never saw her again,
and probably would never see her any more. The lady with whom he
stayed talked about a law-suit, at the conclusion of which it came
about that he belonged neither to the mother nor the father. Finally,
he came to the castle of Lord Gemer, and from there the doctor sent
him to the mountains because he was like a candle that was ready to go
out. About his father he knew only that he was somewhere far away, and
had already a second wife and two boys. It seemed to him he was as
much of an orphan as Petrik. The dog Fido didn't remember his mother
either, because he had hardly begun to run about the kennel when a
wild boar killed her. Thus it is not surprising that all three loved
each other.