One shapely brown hand steadied the conca above, the other gathered her coarse skirt; then she stood still, lifted the load from her head with both hands and without any apparent effort, and set it down in its place on a stone slab near the hearth.

Most women need a little help to do that.
She laid aside the twisted cloth on which the conca had rested while she carried it, and she smoothed her hair carelessly.
"There are beans," said Nanna, giving the girl one of the bowls.

"There is the bread.

While they are cooling take the other portion upstairs." The girl looked at the bowl, and at Nanna, and then at Paoluccio, and stood stock still.
"Hey, there!" the man cried, with a rough laugh.

"Hey! Reginella! Are you going to sleep, or are you turning into a statue ?" "Am I to give him the beans to eat ?" asked Regina, looking hard at the innkeeper.
"You said he was hungry.