She had bought some small fishes, picked the most beautiful tomatoes in her little garden, as she knew that Crispin was very fond of them, and begged from a neighbor, old Tasio the Sage, who lived half a mile away, some slices of dried wild boar's meat and a leg of wild duck, which Basilio especially liked.

Full of hope, she had cooked the whitest of rice, which she herself had gleaned from the threshing-floors.

It was indeed a curate's meal for the poor boys.
But by an unfortunate chance her husband came and ate the rice, the slices of wild boar's meat, the duck leg, five of the little fishes, and the tomatoes.

Sisa said nothing, although she felt as if she herself were being eaten.

His hunger at length appeased, he remembered to ask for the boys.