While they ate the fruit, they held each other’s hand and both said:—
“Sister, sister, sister mine!
Thou art mine, and I am thine,
Thine my house, my bread and wine,
Thine my joys, my sacrifice,
Thine my place in Paradise.”
Then they kissed each other and called each other god-sister.
“You must never fail me, god-sister,” said the little signorina, and both the children were very serious and moved.
They had become such good friends in the short time that they cried when they parted.
But then twelve years went by and the two god-sisters lived each in her own world and never met. During the whole time Giannita was quietly in her home and never came to Catania.