The curate, astonished at his quickness and intelligence, made him a present of pens, paper, and a penknife.

This demanded new effort, but nothing compared to the first; at the end of a week he wrote as well with this pen as with the stylus.

The curate related the incident to the Count of San-Felice, who sent for the little shepherd, made him read and write before him, ordered his attendant to let him eat with the domestics, and to give him two piastres a month.

With this, Luigi purchased books and pencils.
He applied his imitative powers to everything, and, like Giotto, when young, he drew on his slate sheep, houses, and trees.

Then, with his knife, he began to carve all sorts of objects in wood; it was thus that Pinelli, the famous sculptor, had commenced.
"A girl of six or seven--that is, a little younger than Vampa--tended sheep on a farm near Palestrina; she was an orphan, born at Valmontone and was named Teresa.