"He had, yes, cut down many plants." "But the most beautiful forest, the jewel that all envy us,.." "the so called "Old Woods", well, that forest, he has always respected." "Flies, flies!" "There, from hundreds and hundreds of years,.." "not even one plant has been cut, by the hand of man." "Great merit, therefore, to Cavalier Morro." "And today, we put in this place, a sign of everlasting remembrance." "And it is in recognition.." " But who is?" " of his forest merits,.." "that his effigy.." "was carved into the trunk of one of our most beautiful firs,.." "just to signify that from this moment,.." "Cavalier Morro has become himself.." "part of these magnificent forests." "Away, soon!" " Come on, run!" "Come on, come on!" " Don't make me fall!" "Let me through!" "I lost my shoe!" " Run!" "Soon will come down in buckets!" " No, it won't rain, is just noise." "Stand aside!" "Let the car pass!" "And so that no one may advance any right,.." "I, cavalier Antonio Morro, leave to my nephew,.." "Colonel Sebastiano Procolo, the house, already my dwelling,.." "and a strip of woodland of contour,.." "called "Old Woods"." "My decision.." "is motivated by the specific care that said woods deserves." "And thus, the beneficiary is committed.." "tothatno diligence,nocare , no expense is to be spared.." "to preserve such a precious natural monument." "The remainder of all my properties.." "is assigned to my grandson Benvenuto Procolo,.." "orphan of both father and mother, and of whom I have been guardian,.." "until when, after my departure, this commitment will be taken over by.." "the aforementioned Colonel Sebastiano Procolo,.." "who may take possession of all assets allocated to him,.." "only the day that he will be definitively discharged.." "from the military life." "Battalion!" "Present arms!" "To me the flag!" "By order of His Majesty the King,.." "I yield the command of the regiment to the colonel taking over,.." "and you will recognize his authority." "Good morning." "I am the steward of poor Morro." "You are exactly like your uncle." "You got the same nose." "Young man, instead of taking care of noses, take care rather of my luggage." "Enough, doesn't go any further!" "Must be out of gasoline." " It's out of breath." "Every now and then, hangs like a mule, and there's no way to make her go." "That's how it is." "If it doesn't go, then it's us who must walk." "What have you to scream, ugly beast?" "Well, it's doing its service, Colonel." "Which service?" " It's the old guardian Magpie." "Poor Morro, your uncle, held it in high regard,.." "as a sentinel, to warn those at home." "A goose, if I'm not mistaken." "Had it made poor Morro,.." "as he wished." "It is evident that here will be required.." "some radical changes." "Good evening." "I am Vettore." " Good evening." "I've always been in the service of poor Cavalier Morro." "Fine." " But, why on foot, Colonel?" "The car has stopped." "If it pleases the Colonel, the tea is ready to be served." "Thanks, it's not in my habits." "To poor Cavalier Morro, I have always served dinner at 19 o'clock." "Perfectly!" "According to the customs of the army." "And now, the saber." "Remove it from the specific custody, and present it next to the portrait." "On your left side." "Nearer to the picture." "Not too near" "And now, lower the hilt and raise the tip." "More." "Still a little more." "Higher, the tip." "There." "Hang exactly at that point." "These are signals of the magpie." " Yes, sir." "You have heard too." " Perfectly." "Wait." "And now, after so much talk,.." "we will see what reliance can give, a sentinel of this sort." "Five people, I guess." "Five, that's right." "One, two, three, four, and five." "By golly!" "Indeed, the magpie.." "has launched 5 signals." "We can be sure." "Never makes a mistake." "My jacket, soon." "Go ahead and let them in, I go down immediately." "We are the Forestry Commission." "We're sorry, but we have a duty to fulfill." "It is a requirement of the regulation." " A requirement?" "We need to do an inspection every so often, for the cuts." "Here, most of the woods was of Morro." " So what?" "You know better than me how he was, the good soul." "He left as it was the Old Woods,.." "but all the rest, he exploited as much as he could,.." "including the part of your nephew, Benvenuto." "Since I am from this moment the boy's testamentary guardian,.." "you will address me to solve any issue." "All right, Colonel." "And now, if there are no other issues, let's proceed with the inspection." "By the way,.." "what is your rank?" " We are just municipal employees." "Your subordinates, when addressing you, what do they call you?" "Gaetano." "Go on ahead." "There, Morro, has cut everything piecemeal." "If a storm comes up, here goes all to hell." "Works such as this... stuff for rogue." "Have you heard?" "Told him flatly." " Huh?" "What'd he said?" " Said,.." "that old Morro, behaved like a rogue!" "Naming him as alive, huh!" " Oh, yes." "Here you go, Colonel." "From here, is all part of the Old Woods,.." "and it goes up to below the top of the horn." "And this tree?" "How come was not used?" "This has collapsed by itself." "It died of old age, Colonel." "You well know that even the late lamented your uncle,.." "here, has never dared to touch even one of these plants." "To my knowledge, however, here, there are no prohibitions." "Still we're all certain that the colonel will not be less than his noble uncle." "The Old Woods, for the people here, is something special." "These trees are the oldest known,.." "and we believe that you too..." " My intentions,.." "for the moment, even I do not know them." "Therefore,.." "there is no reason that justifies such intrusiveness on your part." "Egregious Colonel, it's no use heating up so much, it's not the case." "Listen, young man!" "You listen to me, instead." "Many centuries ago, this land was all bare." "Its owner was a man named Giaco." "The brigand Giaco." "A real man, full of initiative." "Even had his own small army." "One day Giaco returned,.." "with no longer any soldier, dead tired, covered with wounds." "Then he thought:" ""Sooner or later they'll pursue me, and I'll have nowhere to take refuge." "I'd better plant a woods." "The most suitable place to take shelter."" "Said and done, he planted this forest." "Since then, it's been so many years that it would be useless to count them." "But who told you, Colonel,.." "that the brigand Giaco can not return?" "What you go ranting about?" "Indeed,.." "he's expected any moment." "I'll tell you more." "It might even happen.." "this very evening." "And when he will return, you may be sure,.." "will not have a penny or a soldier,.." "chased by hundreds of enemies, all armed with rifles and clubs." "Then what?" "Won't he have the right to regain his woods intact,.." "as he left it?" "After so many years, and so many owners, isn't it still his stuff all the same?" "Touching this woods would be a wickedness!" "Indeed, you know what I tell you?" "This man is crazy!" "It would be a crime!" "Did you hear that, Colonel?" "A crime!" "Such an individual would deserve arrests!" "One signal,.." "one person." "Enough." "But, you're sure it's a signal of the sent...of the magpie?" "Without any doubt." "I would recognize its voice among a thousand." "Whoever it is, you tell them that I don't receive anyone during mess time." "Certainly, sir." "The Port, sir." " Thanks." "By the way, whoever was the obtruder a while ago?" "I was just about to inform the colonel that,.." "extremely odd thing, no one turned up at the door." "Ha!" "So this means that the signal of the magpie was wrong." "It had never happened, before now." "Such an error, in the army, would not be admissible." "Certainly, Colonel." "The magpie again!" "Without any doubt." "I'm going to see." "Once, you may be wrong, twice, is unacceptable." "I cannot see a living soul." "The most absurd claim is... to think it's possible to rely on the alerts of a magpie." "This fact, has something really strange." "Indeed, if I may, I dare say,.." "suspicious." "Do you have any opinions, about it?" "In these cases, the only thing is wait." "At most, up to 20:45." "At 21:30 o'clock, I turn off the light, as is my custom." "To arms!" "Brigand...!" "Soldiers!" "Stop him!" "Away!" "What is it?" "Ye gods!" "What..." "What time is it?" "Four..." "That's enough!" "May you be damned!" "Cut it out or I'll shoot you!" "You hear?" "Ye gods, it was loaded!" "Ten times you gave the signal!" "No one ever went by." "I've had enough of these your antics!" "Losing sleep because of you." "This goes once and for all." "Another cry, and I kill you for real, huh!" "But, tell me if this is the way to perform a service!" "Oh, you vile!" "You hit me." "And now, you'll never know.." "who I saw go by tonight." "A damn thing, you saw go by!" "You were mistaken!" "At least have the courage to admit it!" "Even when I came you gave the signal, yet I was coming from home!" "The only time that I had dozed off." "Then, if you saw someone go by, tell me who it was." "Now, you must find out for yourself,.." "Colonel." "I, by now,.." "I finished my service." "Maybe it's just a slight wound." "It doesn't matter, don't worry about it." "After all,.." "one day or another I wanted as well go away.." "from this wicked place." "But I have always been naive!" "I thought that my warnings were appreciated." "Now, if you really want to know,.." "even the place, I can not stand it anymore." "Everything is old here." "Everything seems musty," "Morro is dead ..." "And you too, in terms of age, you're not joking,.." "my dear Colonel." "Hey, careful or I'll shoot again!" " So much!" "But first, let me say at least.." "a poem." "A poem?" "But is this the time, say?" "It's my only diversion." "Doing the sentinel, one has plenty of time to think." "You've never tried because you are a colonel." "Whereas I, I think poems." "Except that with rhymes, I have some difficulty,.." "I find it hard." " Well,.." "it's not for everyone.." "to know how to compose rhymes." "But then, you need someone who listens,.." "otherwise,.." "what good is poetry?" "Can I start?" "Oh well, sure, start." "So they said all my brothers:" ""You will be the best at flying,.." "and your life, easy and light, longer much than all ..."" "There, you see?" "I'm not right with the syllables!" "Well, let's not quibble." " Then, I go on?" " Go on." "Not here ended their words." "In April, in August, in September,.." "even in December, cold winds blowing,.." "always, this endless bowing." "You made a rhyme!" "Come forward." "And shut the door." "In this area, we will start new cuts." "We will begin by achieving.." "a passage in the woods that will allow to reach the valley floor roadway." "Therefore, we will proceed to cut an entire strip of trees,.." "up to the upper part of the valley." "Through this passageway, we will drag all the felled timber." "But we, in this manner,.." "we divide into two the Old Woods." "But it is also the only possible way to reach this part of the property,.." "until now inaccessible, and therefore, never exploited." "Any remarks?" "Or any fear?" "Well, you too are well aware that there are some rumors going around on.." "on the Old Woods." "Superstitions." "Beliefs of simpletons." "However, Morro believed it too." "And, to put it here as it is,.." "it's the real reason why he never cut even one of those plants." "Maybe ..." "Enough with useless chatter!" "Give the necessary instructions to the men." "Be ready to my order." "Here you will find all the cadastral maps of the land owned by Morro." "But, are we confident that they have all been updated regularly?" "I think so." "Cavalier Morro has always checked in person, to the end." "And, tell me,.." "from these papers, would it be possible to trace back to the previous owners?" "To know, for example, who owned the Old Woods, before my late uncle?" "For this, you should speak to the priest's sister." "On the attic there are still the old parish archives." "There you can find names and surnames of all the owners of the Old Woods." "And.." "also the rest." "Okay, that's enough." "At ease." "If there had been here Don Galdino, he knew how to tell you everything,.." "word for word." "Just today he had to go down to the curia for some matters." "My brother knows well the history of the Old Woods,.." "and also certain facts that are better left alone,.." "phenomena that can happen still today,.." "mysteries." "Oh, here it is!" "But look where they have hidden it." ""Offers for a good death"" "Geographical and naturalistic notes of a pilgrim priest." "Published in Verona in Anno Domini 1836." "Here you will find all that very few people know." "It pleased me, in this agreeable valley, to visit a rich forest,.." "called "Old Woods"." "And as I, abbot Don Marco Marioni, came to notice,.." "those plants are dwelling to genes, mysterious creatures of the forest." "The inhabitants to whom I asked news, seemed oblivious." "I believe that in each trunk there is a genius,.." "who, at his pleasure, arises in the form of animal or man." "They are simple and benign beings, unable to undermine anyone." "Their life is tied to the existence of their respective trees." "It is therefore intended to last hundreds and hundreds of years." "Especially the children, still free from prejudice,.." "from time to time do realize that the forest is populated by genes." "All others, however, consider this a foolish tale." "Who is that?" "It is that mad forester!" "You've seen you too, huh?" ",.." "what is happening." "Any attempt at persuasion would be useless." "That colonel wants to hear no reason." "By now,.." "all is lost." "Say ye, brethren, if I have not done everything possible." "With whom is speaking, that madman?" "You know this well." "Even my disguise as forester,.." "to attempt in every way to save us..." " Oh, that's who he is!" "In this way, however, we managed to survive." " One of them!" "Now, however, that colonel, any day now, may give an order, and many of us would be culled." "There would be a last chance to stop that individual,.." "the only one that still remains." "One thing that I never thought of having to do,.." "but at this point, for us, there is no other choice." "Unleashing the wind Matteo!" " Oh, no!" "I know, you're right." "We know all too well the disasters that has combined Matteo the wind." "None more than us can know the effort that cost us to lock him up in the cave." "Lock him up?" "!" "I'm going to deal with him." "I know he would be willing to anything to return to freedom." "We shall dictate our conditions,.." "and he will have to respect the pacts under oath." "This is the only weapon to deal on equal terms with the colonel." "There is no time to lose." "Wind Matteo!" "Wind Matteo!" "I need to talk to you!" "I am Bernardi!" "I have come.." "to offer you a pact." ""Especially the children, still free from prejudice,.." "from time to time do realize that the forest is populated by genes." "All others, however, consider this a foolish tale."" "Who's in there?" "Can't understand a damn!" "It is you, the wind Matteo?" "Well, who do you think?" "You want to fool me?" "What are you doing in there?" "But damn the dead calm!" "It was you, to lock me up in here!" "It is obvious that you're mistaken with someone else." "You, along with all those ugly spirits of the woods like you!" "I am Colonel Sebastiano Procolo!" " You're not Bernardi?" "Now it's me, the owner of all woods." "And from now on, the pacts, you will do with Colonel Procolo." "How many times shall I repeat them?" "Repeat for the last time." "I am all ears." "I, Matteo wind,.." "in this valley the master of the air,.." "I swear obedience to him who shall deliver me from this prison!" "For him, I will gather storms,.." "or will clean up the sky, according to his every wish." "At his command I shall destroy any enemy,.." "etcetera, etcetera, etcetera." "And now let's be quick, I can't take it anymore!" "It's our turn." "We need to to blow up this boulder." "The sooner we do it, the better." "Go on, Sisto." "Damn you!" "Hush!" "What is?" "Run!" "Hurry!" "Warn everyone!" " They are going to release Matteo wind!" "Pass the word: they're releasing Matteo!" "They're releasing Matteo wind!" "They're releasing Matteo wind!" "And whoever is this senseless?" "Colonel Procolo,.." "the heir of old Morro." "A military!" "What do you want him to understand, of the life of the woods?" "!" "Gosh!" "We should do something." "The old fox is right." " I say,.." "that if we cry out all together..." " Shut up, blackbird!" "And, if I tried with my sting?" "The mine is ready." "Beware, that the fuse goes in half a minute." "Do not worry." "You're talking to an army officer." "And the fire?" " I'll take care of the fire." "You may go." "As for the payment, you may pass by the steward." " Yes, sir." "He's informed." " Yes, sir." " All right, Lieutenant." "Colonel!" "Away, away!" "Faster!" "Hey, in there!" "Are you still there?" "It's 20 years that I'm in here." "Hurry!" "No!" "Not my woods!" "Come back immediately!" "Without my order, you must not touch anything!" "Stop, damn you!" "What are you doing?" "You understand?" "You must not touch my plants!" "Remember the deal!" "It had been years that I had not done a run." "Don't be too conspicuous!" "The wind is the wind, Colonel!" "It blows!" "It's him!" "Florio!" "Florio!" " Oh!" "That's crazy!" "Someone released Matteo wind!" " Oh, Holy Mother!" "Go indoor!" "Run!" "They released Matteo wind!" "Will make disasters!" "Who was that criminal?" "Friend woods, comfort us!" "Wind of ruin!" "Virgin Mary and all Saints of Paradise!" " Infamous gale!" "Have you seen?" "It seems that everything is against us." "It could be the end." "It may well be that in all these years Matteo wind has come to his senses." "Yet Matteo wind had some good qualities." "It's true." "Remember when he enjoyed singing, blowing in our branches?" "Who does not remember?" "It was beautiful." "Oh, yes." "In some quiet nights, you could hear coming out of our forests.." "wonderful melodies." "Must be admitted,.." "in those moments, Matteo wind proved to be a supreme musician." "They were the sweetest nights." "Unforgettable." "Hey, Colonel!" "Colonel!" "Are you Matteo wind?" "Sh!" "I don't want them to hear me." "Who are all those people?" "That is not ordinary people." "They are.." "the genes of the trees." "They're all here to assist their companion." "We have come to greet you, Sallustio." "What is happening is really sad." "We were no longer used to it." "We have come to say goodbye." "This evening you will be far away in the great forest,.." "of which so much we heard.." "when we were kids." "Nobody has forgotten the words." "Remember?" "In the green forest that has no boundaries,.." "where there are no dormice or mole crickets that eat our roots,.." "or bark beetles that burrow the wood, or worms that eat the leaves." "In the eternal forest, thunderbolts will not strike,.." "nor we'll see lightnings, even on the hottest nights of summer." "And thus we'll meet again our companions who have preceded us,.." "and have started a new life,.." "this time forever." "Have you come for the counterorder?" "What counterorder?" "I thought the owner here had changed his mind, and sent for a counterorder." "Colonel Procolo never gave a counterorder in his life." "You know him?" "Since many years." "If they would stop, maybe it would still be possible.." "that the cut can heal, and I could continue my life." "Colonel, back!" "It's me, Matteo!" "No need to say, it's obvious from the good manners." "I just came to warn you that tonight I'll have to move away for a commitment." "I don't care, do what you want." "I will be away until tomorrow." "Leave me alone!" "It was only to inform you, colonel." "Merely out of courtesy!" "Rude!" "At attention!" "Facing the center!" "At ease!" "Undress." "Just look who's here!" "Even the old fox comes to listen to the concert of Matteo wind." "By now, what for is she coming here?" "Deaf as she is!" "Oh golly!" "Do we go?" " Let's go." "Come on." "Come." "Do gently, will begin shortly." " Right this way." "Here, has arrived!" "This is Matteo, I recognize the voice." "There we are, now begins." "Turn off everything." " Be silent." " Is about to begin." "What punctuality!" "Stop, do not make noise." "Oh, no, it was not so." "Never mind, Matteo, go on." "It doesn't matter, start again." " I was locked up too long." "Come on, Matteo, try another." "A new one." " Yes, a new one." "Benvenuto!" "Who gave you permission?" "Exiting the college at night, is desertion!" "What is this story?" "And what was he doing here, the boy?" "This is the night of June 21." "They celebrate, in the woods." "The thing is new to me." "They celebrate the first summer moon." "I have not been informed." " But other nights too, it depends." "There is no precise date." "This music was not bad." "By now Matteo wind is gone." "Then, without even the children anymore..." "You, too, like everyone else." "As long as you are a child,.." "cares are never enough." "Then, as grown ups, fatigued and tired,.." "there is not a dog that deigns you of a look." "The matter, perhaps, is another." "At a certain age, all of you men change." "Nothing remains of what you were as children." "You become unrecognizable." "You too, once,.." "you had to be different." "Good night, Colonel." "What do you want?" "What are these jokes, you damn shadow?" "!" "What jokes?" "One sees perfectly well.." "that you take advantage of the low moon to lengthen in an exaggerated manner." "What are you saying?" "Can't you see that the moon, now, is disappearing altogether?" "So then, do disappear you as well, and leave me alone." "Really, it's useless for you to insist, inasmuch you don't impress me at all." "You've come to apologize?" "Apologize?" "And what for?" "For the way you left last night, without even finishing the concert." "I did not feel like singing anymore,.." "and that's it." "And now what do you want?" "I only came by to see if by chance you needed me." "But, if you want to sleep, I'll leave." "I was thinking." " Well, then, I won't disturb you." "I was thinking of a dream." "I don't even know what they are, dreams." "A dream that I often do, in these last days." "I dreamed..." "that Benvenuto had died." "Where are you going?" "Come back." "Shut the door." "So, I dreamed that Benvenuto had died,.." "and I became owner of all the woods." "You will stay with me for the holidays." "Thus is established by the testamentary will of your great-uncle,.." "Cavalier Morro." "Vettore will show you your room." "For whatever you may need, you will have to address to him." "Your school commitments, you will have take care of yourself." "Up at the college, you did not prove to be a genius." "It's me responsible for your studies." "Therefore,..." "behave accordingly." "Yes, sir." "If the young gentleman does not need else,.." "I wish a good night." " Goodnight, Vettore." "Look at that!" "That swine of a thief cat!" "Every day in this house, there is something new!" "And now, I say, what can you do?" "Huh?" "Nobody told you that this is my bed?" "So, you don't even know who I am!" "No." "I am the lame mouse, the eldest of the house,.." "and thus, the head of the community." "You must know that with Colonel Procolo, we have established some agreements." "For example, during the nights of storm, I can sleep here,.." "in this bed,.." "inside this mattress." "But now, there is no storm." "Now, there is not, but later there will be!" "I, on weather, am never wrong." "Now, move a bit farther and turn off the light,.." "otherwise I can not sleep." "Tomorrow... will be better to ask the Colonel another mattress." "You think he will listen to us?" " Sure!" "He too was annoyed, at first." "He even threatened to kill me!" "You know how they are, these colonels." "Then, I forced him to reason." "But, you know why he died, Morro?" " Huh?" "Because he had killed a mouse." "It's bad luck, to kill mice!" "The Colonel was so impressed,.." "that he preferred..." "to reach an agreement with us." "Good night." "The cup, please." "Sugar." "May I ask you something, sir?" "Say." "Well?" "You should give a new mattress.." "to the head of mice." "Who?" " The head of mice!" "Last night has come to sleep on the mattress of my bed." "He says he's in agreement with you." "I don't intend to foster that ugly beast." "If the mouse bothers you, kill him." "But it is bad luck to kill mice." "You won't believe.." "to this humbug!" " Yes s..." "No, sir!" "Now hurry up." "Today we have a challenging mission to accomplish." "And you, you'll come with me." "But you, Colonel, you've already been here?" "You're familiar with the orientation?" "Young man, perhaps you forget that your uncle.." "is an army officer." "With a good map, and a compass, you can orient on any terrain." "The sun is going down." "Let's be quick, there's no more time to lose." "Here." "All right here." "Now, place yourself in front of me." "Now pay close attention." "First, however, lay down that cane." "Observe this tool." "This is a grade rod." "You see the the small valley behind me?" " I think so." "I will go down there, while you stay here and keep this rod up straight,.." "so that it can be seen very well." "Here, hold." "Don't move from there." "Remember!" "As soon as I'll be in the valley, I will see you through binoculars,.." "and we'll begin to measure these woods,.." "that heretofore, no one had ever measured." "Got it?" "No one ever!" "Let's see ..." "So ..." "My God!" "The compass!" "Matteo..." "Are you Matteo wind?" "No, I'm not Matteo." "Who are you?" "I am a breeze passing by." "Then go away." "Leave me alone." "A little while ago, I heard the voice of a child who was calling." "I haven't heard anything." "But you, what are you doing in the woods, at this time of night?" "These woods are mine." "I don't have to account to anyone." "For me, you may as well remain here forever." "Began, the venerable forest, to live a new night." "Maybe, behind the cloak of clouds, had not even risen, the moon." "Perhaps the darkness would never be ended." "This dark, forever." "It could well happen." "And perhaps, in the darkness,.." "the genes came out from the trunks for unknown errands,.." "and wandered around him,.." "invisible in the night." "For the first time in his life,.." "the Colonel became aware of the sounds of the forest,.." "and that night he counted them one by one,.." "but,.." "two or three times,.." "there was the true silence." "I am here, Colonel!" " Oh, you are here?" "Where were you last night when I called you?" " But I haven't heard anything,.." "then I came to seek you." "The fact is that at some point I lost my compass." "In fact, I imagined that something had happened." "I must admit that, without instruments, it is difficult to find... find your way." "We can look for it together." "Colonel!" "You called me?" " No, sir." "Are you Colonel Procolo?" "Whoever is calling me, come forward!" "Oh ye gods!" " I heard some recalls,.." "and when I saw you, I said:" ""Oh, there he is!"" ""That's the famous Colonel Procolo"." "Isn't it so?" "But who are you?" "I was going to visit my brother,.." "the one that acts as a sentinel at your house." "It is he, who told me about you." "Anyway, since you're up there, can you see my house?" "Oh, I got it!" "You got lost!" "And now you would like me to show you the way." "Anyone would get lost in these woods." "It is said that more than one lost his life in here,.." "especially children." "If you're through with chatter, we can get going." "As soon as the boy will be ready." "I am ready." "Then, follow me." "But, is it a long time that you don't see your brother?" "Oh yes, it's three years now." "I came all the way here from Spain.." "to see him, at last." "And you left without even getting informed." "You didn't know that your brother..." "is no longer here." "No longer here?" "Has he left, maybe?" "And where did he go?" "He's dead." "Dead!" "How did it happen?" "An accident." "Due to... some wrong signals." "And I who came on purpose, from so far away." "Anyway, if you want, you can stay." "And, if you like, you may take his place,.." "as sentinel." "But, it's a serious proposal, Colonel?" " Of course it's serious." "Then, let's get moving, there is still a long way to go." "Come on." "Let's go with it." "July 25 was a very hot day." "Hey, there!" "Where are you going with that shack?" "What do you have in that caisson?" "Young man, if you don't know it, here you are on my land!" "But look at that!" "Stop!" "Did you understand, yes or no?" "What do you hide in there?" " Your damned soul, Excellency!" "Who is this man?" "What are you doing?" "Go!" "Go!" "Out of here!" "Go!" "Away all!" "You are free!" "Out of here!" "Goooo!" "Now I want to try it too!" " Before going down, watch Sereno,.." "then you do like him." " Come on, be quick!" "Bravo, Sereno!" "Gee, did you hurt?" "Make way!" "Stand back!" "Wait, I'll help." "Make way!" " Be careful!" "Stand back!" "Everybody stand back!" "Scatter around!" "Wait!" "Berto, do not go up too high!" "You could get hurt." "Be careful!" "Goooo!" "Stand back!" "Bravo, Berto!" "Come on, Benvenuto!" "Now it's your turn!" "Benvenuto, not towards the plants!" "Turn around!" "Turn the skis this side!" "Don't blame yourself, Benvenuto, is nonsense." "One day, you too will learn how to ski." "For you, everything is yet to begin." "Whereas I, am about to end, by now." "There are things that do not return." "When your turn will come, don't let it slip,.." "because afterwards, what's done, is done." "The shoes." "Here we go." "The external antenna is placed, now let's try." "Frequency knob, I believe." "Right, to find the stations." "Good!" "Turn it on yourself." "Well, in the army, more than anything, we used the telegraph." "You just need to pull the knob." "It's easy." " This one?" " Yes." "But, nothing happens." "Must first warm up the valves ." " Oh, right." "In some city in the world, they're playing a waltz." "This is Riga,.." "the city of Riga." "On the dial, you'll find all the information." "With this radio you can hear the whole world." "Any city." "Just a moment." "There you go!" "Excuse me, Colonel, there is the steward." "Let him in." " Yes, sir." "Here is the Faust!" "Only, the sound is no longer as limpid as before." "You too hear it,.." "this.." "faraway hum?" "It's true." "It almost seems like the wail of the woods.." "when there is wind." " Woods?" "Why do you say woods?" "I said it... so to speak." "The first thing that came to my mind." "Excuse me for having inconvenienced you at this hour." "Come on in." "Bernardi, you do know what this noise is." "You do know, right?" "Unfortunately, I know it." "Since August it's tormenting us." "And what is, this cursed noise?" "Not even my companions know what it is." "But we all feel that there's something wrong." "It's like a threat,.." "an evil that lurks within us." "But how can it be heard in here?" "It is inexplicable how this device.." "manages to capture our suffering." "It began in late July,.." "when a cloud of white butterflies has penetrated into the woods." "And from that day, has begun our torment." "Only at the end of winter, we came to know the whole truth." "Those white butterflies had tainted the forest with eggs." "And now, with the first spring sunshine,.." "thousands of caterpillars were released from their larvae,.." "and began to devour the leaflets the most tender." "A true scourge." "And now, throughout the entire woods, it's all a gnaw and chew.." "of those terrible jaws,.." "day and night, without stopping." "We consulted a professor in forestry,.." "but he, too, says that for the woods there's nothing left to do." "At this point, the only one who can save the woods.." "is Matteo wind." " If he doesn't intervene,.." "for those poor trees will really be the end." "You should tell him yourself, to the Colonel." "I ?" "You are his new sentinel, you have some intimacy." "That colonel, only listens when he's in trouble." "Well then, this time, he'll listen." "Cannot see anything yet." "Will it take a lot?" " The time it takes." "Sometimes less, sometimes more." "Wait and see." "But what happens?" "You've spotted something?" "I mean, Colonel!" "I told you that you must have patience." "Colonel!" "Colonel!" "Matteo wind is returning!" "Where is he?" "I don't see anything!" "Not up there, further down." "What?" "This time, Matteo did it!" " But what, he did?" "Look down there among the branches." "See that swirl of insects?" "Has dragged them up to here Matteo." "They're ichneumon wasps." " Ichneumons?" "But you really don't know a damn thing!" "They are the most ferocious enemies of the caterpillars!" "Soon you will witness the assault." "Action will be lightening fast!" "Gee!" "It's amazing!" "There!" "The ichneumon spotted a caterpillar." "Look!" "Sharpens the sting like a knife." " Interesting!" "That poor guy's not gonna ever escape." "Gosh!" "Magnificent fighters, these ichneumons!" "What did I tell you, huh?" "That's it." "Now, it's all over." "But ..." "Gosh!" "Those caterpillars are reviving!" "Watch." "They resume eating as if nothing had happened." "What sort of fighters are these your ichneumons?" "But what sort of ignorant are you men, asking such silly questions?" "!" "Rude!" "You'd deserve a shot you too." "You, instead, would not deserve any more help." "Exactly." "Humans have little patience." "Indeed, summer had not yet begun,.." "and for those caterpillars had come the hour of atonement." "Since the ichneumons, through their stings in the bodies of caterpillars,.." "had deposited their eggs,.." "which now began to reawaken and come out in the form of worms." "Not even the genes remained to watch that horrible show." "But from that moment, the forest was saved." "Well,.." "this is a beautiful place, but unfortunately, also very wet." "And the medicines?" " Oh, the medicines!" "Medicines not always have their effect." "Don't forget, you must always stay close to that boy." "Certainly." " Do not forsake him even for a moment." "You may go." "Please, call my uncle." " You must try to sleep,.." "if you want to get over the fever." " Just for a moment." "Alright." "What do you want?" "Up there,.." "there's..." "there is a mouse who is gnawing." "You hear?" " I don't hear anything." "Because now he stopped." "It must be the fever." "Turn out the light and sleep." "Forgive me, if there is darkness,.." "I see nightmares." "Nonsense." "Please, uncle sir." "Okay." "By way of exception, however." "Thanks!" "And now enough talking." "Sleep." "Uncle!" "There it is again!" "The mouse came back!" "Uncle!" "Do you hear him?" "He began again to gnaw!" "Colonel." "Who is it?" "Colonel Procolo." "You again?" "Leave me alone." "Colonel, I have always followed you, since when you were a child,.." "and I never left you, even while you slept." "I've always accompanied you faithfully, in silence." "I have done with you all the gears, I marched next to you, in parades." "Then one day, you decide to leave the uniform,.." "and I regretted to no longer bring that saber, by my side." "Go away!" " Yes." "Indeed I wanted right to tell you that I must leave you." "I want to go away,.." "because what is happening here,.." "dishonors you." "I have remained always the same as once." "But you,..." "you are changed." "We're too different by now, for us to continue still together." "I will return to the old barracks, I'll find our ancient regiment." "They seem so distant times, by now." "I'll have to retreat to a dark corner, and go around at night only,.." "so that no one sees me." "Yes." "I would be ashamed if they asked me:" ""Shadow, hey shadow!" "Where is your master?" "Where he remained, the Colonel?"" ""The Colonel..." "is finished",.." "I should reply." "Here is, what should I say." ""His sword, rust has eaten it,.." "and, of him, it is better to say nothing."" "I regret leaving you alone." "However,.." "the fault is only yours, Colonel Procolo." "You have dug emptiness, around you." "Shut up!" "No one has ever dared to speak to me like that." "If you want to leave, go away,.." "but leave me in peace." "Yes." "I am going away." "But you,.." "you won't be left in peace." "Where are you going to?" "But..." "Shadow!" "Wait!" "Ye gods!" "Watch out where you step, Colonel Procolo!" "Everything may collapse at any moment." "The beam is almost entirely gnawed,.." "and soon will fall straight on the bed of your nephew!" "See?" " Enough!" "Mercy of God, enough!" " What do you say, Colonel?" "I'm executing your orders." "I don't want to know more, of what I had commanded you." "But an order is an order, by golly!" "I said enough!" "Beast of hell!" "But, then it's a counterorder!" "I understand you correctly, Colonel?" "It's a counterorder." "Oh!" "It's enough to speak clearly, and we suspend activities immediately." "You were looking for me, Colonel?" "Benvenuto is about to die." "You genes, couldn't you do something?" "A remedy." "At times men die because they have to die." "There are laws that must not be broken." "But when it comes to a child,.." "yes,.." "we genes could try." "We still have something of our ancient power." "Do try." "I beg you." "Ask what you want." "You know what we want." "That you leave us in peace, only." "This, we want." "That you don't cut more even a branch." "All these woods.." "would no longer yield anything." "What's the use being the masters?" "It's you who asked." "Colonel Procolo,.." "I've got to go." "What have you decided?" "You know better than I, what I've decided." "Don't be afraid." "You can no longer back out, by now." "What figure would you do?" "Giving up now, yes, that would be a disgrace!" "Come on!" "Go!" "Not from there!" "You've gone too up high!" "Be careful, Benvenuto!" "Stop, Benvenuto!" "But where are you going to?" "Come back at once!" "Are you happy, Benvenuto?" "A lot!" "It's so wonderful!" "If, at midnight, you wish to toast the new year ..." " Thanks." "To orders." "I'm Matteo." " What do you want?" " I need to talk to you." "Now?" " Yes, it's very important." "Open." " Not a chance!" "If I open to you comes in a polar chill." " It is urgent!" "Okay, wait." "I'll come out myself." "The Colonel needs something?" " Nothing, thanks." "Come closer." " Where are you?" "Has come true what you dreamed." " What is it that came true?" "Today, an avalanche fell right where Benvenuto was skiing." "No one saw it, and nobody will ever know anything." "Oh, my God!" " Now it's you, the master of all woods!" "Are you satisfied, Colonel Procolo?" "Happy New Year!" "How is this possible?" " Happy New Year, Colonel!" "How can it be?" "But who is that madman over there?" "But what's he doing here at this hour, strolling over an avalanche?" "It's Colonel Procolo." "But doesn't he know that, for men, it is risky.." "to go around in the middle of the night?" "I've heard that it is already en route a cold draft coming down from the north." "Of course." "With a moon so clear!" "They are very fast, these northern drafts." "Terrible!" "It's it!" "Here it is, it's it!" "It's coming, it is better to withdraw!" "The Colonel has really lost his mind!" "But why doesn't he take shelter?" "He'll die from the cold!" "Softly." "The Colonel dies." "The Colonel dies." " Come out!" "The Colonel dies." "Come out everyone!" "The Colonel dies." "What is.." "all this muster?" "Colonel!" "But what happens to you?" "Oh, it's you." "What do you want?" " You need help." "You want me to call someone?" " No, don't worry about me." "But you are ill !" "Go away, it's an order." "If it is so,.." "I must say goodbye, Colonel." "Is it..." "you, Matteo?" "Yes, it's me, Colonel." "What are you doing here?" "Why aren't you in your home?" "I had come ..." "I had come for some traps." "And you've come with a shovel?" "Tell the truth, Colonel." "You've come all the way up here to save your nephew." "But Benvenuto is not here." "I told you just to see you happy,.." "to make you feel the master of everything,.." "at least for this New Year's Eve." "And Benvenuto?" "Benvenuto is at the college, in his bed." "Is it the truth?" "You swear it to me?" " I swear to you, Colonel." "But you,.." "why didn't you say that you had changed your mind?" "Confess, Colonel." "It is some time that also your heart felt the need for warmth,.." "and you never wanted to tell." "Why?" "You were ashamed, perhaps?" "You were ashamed of being a man like everyone else?" "Among the branches of fir trees,.." "the winds had begun their songs." "It was certainly a great music, for solemn occasions." "It so happened that all creatures forgot the winter,.." "and imagined to be already fully in a prosperous summer." "Everyone thought of the future with great confidence,.." "feeling ready for any hardship." "It was nothing but the effect of music,.." "but while it lasted, those illusions seemed true." "Many of these creatures even imagined to be able to live forever." "All of them thought of the fortunes of the new year,.." "of the way they could use those 365 happy days."