“Oh, these are quite different,” cried Luigi, proud that he could explain. “These up here are rich people’s houses, and down where I live, we’re all quite poor.”
The giant shook his head. He could not see what difference that made.
Luigi saw that it was no use to argue. “Aren’t the trees nice?” he ventured.
Benevaldo snorted. “Nice enough, what there are of them!” he said. “But now I am going to take you where there are thousands and thousands of them,—all you can see.”
With that he gave three great springs right over the houses till he landed, splash again, in the deep river. Then he let himself go, leaping and running till Luigi laughed aloud with the dazzle and rush of it.
In a few minutes they had left the twinkling city far behind and were racing over the dusky hills. The trees brushed them as they passed; and above them millions of big, bright stars that Luigi had never seen in the city, seemed to swirl and dance. Luigi drew deep breaths, and nestled happily on the giant’s breast.
Benevaldo stopped and put his great watch up close to his eyes. “It’s getting late, or rather, early,” he said. “I’ll have to take you back again before the people get to swarming in the streets so that I can’t step.”
So he turned and dashed back through the cool night. There was the city again, glimmering beneath the pale sky. Beside it was a river, too, but not the one they had rushed through before. For this one was crossed by shining bridges from shore to shore. Luigi had once seen those bridges from below, and they had seemed to him to tower through the clouds. But now they came hardly to the giant’s waist.
Benevaldo paused. “Do you mind if I jump?” he asked. “You see,” he added apologetically, “it’s rather awkward, crawling under.”
“Oh, no,” cried Luigi joyously. “Let’s jump them!”