Though Angelo had lived in Maella Abbey for several months, he never felt at home.
Abbot Francisco was certainly benevolent, but he was too busy to look after orphans.
Older friars and knights were not suitable for a young boy to talk or play with.
And the youngest orphan -- Marcello -- was harsh to Angelo.
Whenever he studied at library, whenever he attended divine service, whenever he helped in the kitchen -- Angelo felt uneasy. He was not sure that he should stay at the Abbey.
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"Over the mountains, far to travel--"
One evening, when Angelo swept the courtyard as a daily chore, he saw a bard singing. Perhaps called by Abbot Francisco, the man wore an odd garment.
"people say, Happiness dwells --"
In spite of his appearance, his singing voice was sweet and somewhat sad.
Interested in the lyrics and relieved by his comical cloth, Angelo dared to ask him.
"W-what does this mean, sir?"
The bard was slightly surprised by this question from the unknown boy. But when he realized that he was humming one of his favorite songs, the bard explained to Angelo with wistful smile.
"Oh... I... eh... Well, this song is a little bit difficult for you. I am just singing the land of happiness over the mountain, little boy."
"Over the mountain?"
"Ah, yes." The bard nodded. "Usually, my subject is comical, sarcastic songs...but you seem so sad, little one. OK, I'll sing for you. It's my treat!
"Over the mountains, far to travel,
people say, Happiness dwells.
Alas, and I went in the crowd of the others,
and returned with a tear-stained face.
Over the mountains, far to travel,
people say, Happiness dwells."
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"Abbot Francisco... forgive me."Apologising to his foster father, Angelo slipped away from the Abbey at that night.
The destination is, of course, "over the mountain."
The bard said that there was a land of happiness over the mountain, where people lived happily.
In such a fairyland, Angelo would be welcomed by kind people, as once Marcello -- until he knew Angelo's true identity -- had done.
At first he moved slowly, being afraid to be found. But soon Angelo began to run. Hurry, hurry -- he said to himself. Though he sprinkled himself with holy water at the chapel, the effect might be lost before he arrived at the destination.
Immediately his throat went dry and his legs ached. Nevertheless, Angelo kept running.
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The mountain near Maella Abbey extended along Simpleton.Not knowing that there were many other mountains in the world, Angelo headed straight for that small one.
Nor did he recognise where he was now exactly, for he was rarely given permission to go out when his parents had been alive. He blindly went up the slope in front of him.
Shortly after, the path disappeared under Angelo's feet. He reached the summit of the mountain.
With a gleam of hope in his eyes, Angelo leaned over and looked downward to the place below.
-- There. There must be the happy land over the mountain --
His smile, however, at once turned into a gape.
Beyond his sight stretched a somber landscape.
Though it was in the dead of night, though it was quite far away, Angelo could not fail to recognise -- his own former home.
It was once a cheerful and merry place; whereas Angelo's father was a notorious womanizer, he loved his only son dearly. His mother also took good care of Angelo and they spent their days singing and playing together.
After the deaths of the owners, however, now the house standed gloomily.
The location and the appearance never changed. Nonetheles, Angelo felt his own old home utterly strange and unfamiliar.
--"Over the mountain, young boy, there is a country where people live happily."
"...Wa...Whaaaaagh! Aaaargh!"
Remembering the bard's words, Angelo burst into tears.
--There WAS a place where I lived happily. But I cannot go back there any longer --
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After his tear run out, Angelo slowly raised his head.The sky in the east became whiter. The dawn was nigh.
He rubbed his tear-stained face. He stood up and started walking to Maella Abbey.
Though he was not happy, now the abbey was the only place left for him.
Note
I quote the verse "Over the Mountain" ("Ueber den Bergen") from a German poet Karl Busse, translated by Jakob Kellner.