First Entertainments for Children
Sermons
Acrobatics
Bird Nesting
Many times you have asked me at what age I began to take an interest in children. When I was ten years old, I did what was possible at my age and formed a kind of festive oratory. Take note. Though I was still pretty small, I was studying my companions’ characters. When I looked closely at someone, I could usually gauge what he was thinking. This gift won me the love and esteem of the boys my own age, and I was thus in demand as judge or friend. For my own part, I tried always to help and never to hurt. So my companions were quite fond of me. I would take their side when quarrels broke out. Though I was not very big, I was strong and brave enough to stand up even to older companions. Whenever arguments, questions, or quarrels of any kind arose, I acted as arbiter, and everyone accepted my decisions with good grace.
But it was to hear my stories that they flocked round me. They loved them to the point of folly. I drew on many sources for my anecdotes – sermons, catechism lessons, and stories I had read in The Kings of France, in Wretched Guerino, and in Bertoldo and Bertoldino.
When I appeared, my companions and even grown-ups would run to me in a crowd and clamour for a story from a fellow who scarcely understood what he had read. At times, along the road to Castelnuovo or in some field I would be surrounded by hundreds of people, anxious to hear what a poor child had to say. Apart from a good memory, I lacked any knowledge; but they seemed to think I was a great scholar in their midst. In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
In the wintertime, everyone wanted me in the stable to tell stories. All sorts of people used to gather to spend five or even six hours of their evenings listening, motionless, to selections from The Kings of France. The poor reader used to stand on a bench so that all could hear and see. These occasions were described as listening to a sermon since we would always begin and end the storytelling with a sign of the cross and a Hail Mary.
When the weather was fine, especially on Sundays and feast days, a few strangers would come along to swell the ranks. Things were getting a bit more serious now. The entertainment now extended to tricks I had picked up from acrobats and magicians I had watched in the marketplace and at fairs. I used to watch them closely to get the hang of the tricks, then go home and practise till I had mastered the skill. You can imagine all the falls and tumbles and bumps and crashes I was always having! But would you believe that by the time I was eleven I could juggle, do somersaults and the swallow trick, and walk on my hands. I could walk, jump, and even dance on the tightrope like a professional acrobat.
From the programme of one holiday in particular you can get an idea of our general routine.
At Becchi, there was a field in which grew several trees. One of them, a pear tree that is still there, was very helpful to me then. I used to sling a rope from it to another tree some distance away. I had a table with a haversack on it, and on the ground a mat for the jumps. When I had everything set up and everyone was eager to marvel at my latest feats, I would invite them to recite the Rosary and sing a hymn. Then standing on the chair, I preached to them and repeated as much as I could remember from the explanation of the gospel I had heard in church that morning; or sometimes I recalled episodes from something I had heard or read. After the sermon there was a short prayer, and then the show began. At that point you would have seen, just as I am telling you, the preacher transformed into a professional acrobat.
I did the swallow trick and somersaults, walked on my hands; then I tied the pouch around my waist, swallowed coins, and produced them from someone’s nose. I multiplied balls and eggs, changed water into wine, killed and chopped up a chicken and then brought it back to life again so that it crowed better than before. These were part of my stock in trade. I walked the tightrope like an ordinary path, jumped and danced on it, and hung by one foot or one hand, sometimes by two.
This went on for several hours. At the end of it I was tired. A short prayer brought proceedings to a close, and everyone went about his business. Those who cursed or engaged in bad talk or refused to join in the prayers were not allowed to watch the show.
At this point you might ask me: Going to fairs and markets, watching magicians, getting props for my shows – all these took money; where did I get it?
I had several ways. Any money that my mother or others gave me to buy some tidbit, little tips, gifts, all this I saved for this purpose. I was also quite clever at catching birds in cages, snares, traps, and nets; I was very good at finding birds’ nests. Whenever I had gathered enough of these, I knew where I could get a good price for them. Mushrooms, plants used for dyes and heather were all another source of money for me.
Now you might ask me, Did my mother mind my wasting my time playing magician? I assure you that my mother loved me dearly, and I had boundless trust in her. I would not take one step without her approval. She knew everything, saw everything, and let me do it. Indeed, if I needed something, she willingly came to my help. My companions and generally all the spectators gladly gave me what was necessary to provide them with those amusements.