"And whose sheep are these?"

"They belong to the rich man who lives in the big white house there
among the trees. My father works in the field, and I take care of the
sheep." "How would you like to live with me, Giotto? I would teach you
how to draw pictures of sheep and horses, and even of men," said
the stranger. The boy's face beamed with delight. "I should like to
learn to do that--oh, ever so much!" he answered. "But I must do as
father says." "Let us go and ask him," said the stranger.

The stranger's name was Cimabue.[Footnote: Cimabue (_pro_. she ma
boo'a).] He was the most famous painter of the time. His pictures
were known and admired in every city of Italy.

Bondone was surprised when Cimabue offered to take his little boy to
Florence and teach him to be a great painter.

"I know that the lad can draw pictures wonderfully well," he said. "He
does not like to do anything else. Perhaps he will do well with you.
Yes, you may take him."

In the city of Florence [Footnote: Flor'ence.] little Giotto saw some
of the finest pictures in the world. He learned so fast that he could
soon paint as well as Cimabue himself.

One day Cimabue was painting the picture of a man's face. Night came
on before he had finished it. "I will leave it till morning," he said;
"then the light will be better."

In the morning, when he looked at the picture, he saw a fly on the