A Race
A Jump
The Magic Wand
Top of the Tree
Now that I had been cleared of white magic in my amusements, I began to collect my companions round me again and to entertain them as before. Just at that time, there was a certain acrobat whom some folks praised to the skies. He had put on a public show, racing from one end of Chieri to the other in two and a half minutes, almost as fast as a speeding train.
Paying little attention to the consequences, one day I said that I would like to take on this braggart. An imprudent companion told the acrobat, so I found myself with a challenge on my hands: Schoolboy challenges professional runner!
The course chosen was a stretch of the Turin Highway, and there was a side-bet of 20 francs. I did not have that kind of money, so some of my friends in the Society of Joy had to come to the rescue. The event attracted a big crowd. When the race began, my opponent got a lead on me. I soon caught up with him, however, passed him, and before we had reached the halfway mark he was so far behind that he dropped out.
Well, he said to me, I challenge you to a long jump,
but this time I want to raise the wager to 40 francs,
and more if you wish.
I took him on. He picked the place where we were to jump. The landing area was close to the parapet of a little bridge. He had first jump and he landed so close to the wall that you could not jump any further. It looked like there was no way I could win. But my skill came to the rescue. I landed in his tracks, and putting my hands on the bridge wall, I vaulted not only the parapet itself but a ditch beyond it. There was a great cheer.
I want to challenge you, yet again, he said,
to any test of skill you want to name.
I accepted, choosing the game of the magic wand. The wager this time was 80 francs. Taking the rod, I hung a hat on one end of it while I placed the other in the palm of my hand. Then, without using the other hand, I made the rod hop from the tip of my little finger to ring finger, middle finger, index finger, and thumb; then to the knuckles, elbow, shoulder, chin, lips, nose, forehead; and then, by the same route, back to the palm of my hand.
No problem, my rival remarked. This is my favourite event.
He took the same rod and, with consummate skill, he made the rod travel up to his lips; unfortunately for him, his long nose got in the way and the rod lost its balance. He had to grab at it to save it from falling.
Seeing his money vanish again, the poor fellow blurted out in a rage,
No humiliation could be worse than being beaten by a schoolboy. I have one hundred francs left. That much I’ll bet you I’ll get my feet nearer the top of that tree than you will.
He pointed to an elm tree beside the road.
We accepted again, though we were sorry for him and some of us wanted him to win; we did not want to ruin him.
He climbed the elm first. He got his feet so high that had he gone any farther, the tree would have broken and thrown him to the ground. Everyone said it was impossible to climb any higher.
Now it was my turn. I climbed as high as I could without bending the tree. Then I grasped the trunk firmly in both hands, raised my body, and swung my feet up till they were about three feet above the spot that my rival had reached.
Who could ever describe the applause of the crowd, the joy of my companions, the anger of the acrobat, and my own pride at having defeated not just some fellow student but this swaggering braggart?
He was absolutely devastated; however, we tried to comfort him. Moved to pity by the poor man’s sadness, we said we would return his money on one condition: that he treat us to a dinner at the Muretto Hotel. He agreed gratefully. Twenty-two of us went, so many were my supporters. The meal cost 25 francs, so he got back 215 francs.
It had indeed been a Thursday of great joy. I was covered in glory for having beaten a braggart. My companions were delighted too, for they could not have been better entertained than by a good laugh and a good dinner. The braggart himself was pleased because he had got back nearly all his money and enjoyed a good meal besides. As he took leave of us, he thanked us all, saying:
In handing back this money, you’ve saved me from ruin. You have my heartfelt gratitude. I’ll always remember you gratefully, but I won’t make any more bets with schoolboys.