With this the grandfather shook Vinzi’s hand once more. Then the boy ran down the mountain without stopping once till he had reached his uncle’s house. Loud cries came from the pump where his three cousins were just going through their daily ablution. All rushed towards him and wanted to know what he had done all day, at the same time telling him about their own happenings. In the middle of it all Russli pulled his jacket confidentially, for he had an important communication to make. Finally, he was able to make himself heard. “I did not pinch any all day, not even one.”
For reward Vinzi drew a beautiful new pipe from his pocket.
Vinzi had acquired such skill in carving pipes that he had rapidly made it that morning while sitting among the roses.
Uncle Lorenz and his aunt greeted him as heartily as if they had not seen him for a long while. After he had given the grandfather’s message to his uncle, the latter replied, “Yes, yes, go up there as often as you please, only be sure to come home to us in the evening.”
The aunt joined in, too, adding, “It would suit me best if things should never change and Vinzi could stay with us always.”
When Vinzi soon after sat on his threshold he had a great many things to think over. His thoughts kept him so busy that he would have liked to dispense with sleeping altogether and sit there all night.
He was still filled with the grandfather’s story, which had made a tremendous impression upon him. While listening to it he had had an idea, which since then had grown more vivid. Now the time seemed to have come to carry it out.
Raising the pipe to his lips he quietly began to play to himself. Sometimes he paused, silently listening to what he heard. Then he hummed again as the melodies were slowly taking shape. Vinzi looked about him. All the houses round about were dark, but all the stars sparkled down on him so radiantly that he finally grew silent and looked in pious awe at the joyfully gleaming sky above.
“Oh, now I know it!” he cried suddenly. Raising his pipe again he lured from it the most tripping, happy tunes. Quite satisfied he at last closed his little door and lay happily down on his fragrant couch of hay.
The music seemed really to begin now, for he felt that whole choruses of angels were singing down to him from the shining stars. But Vinzi only heard this in his slumbers, for as soon as he had touched his pillow he was fast asleep.