Adam's Breed

The creature Leone loved best to torment was a little Sardinian donkey; in size it was not much bigger than a dog, and its hoofs were easily avoided. A favorite pastime was twisting its tongue, and one day he kicked it in the stomach -- just by way of letting it know that he was there -- and the donkey stood still and shivered. But Leone was as cruel as death to all beasts, and all beasts knew it and feared him, and he it was who helped on the farm -- yet Lidia was a kindly woman. Gian-Luca's eyes sometimes blazed fury at Leone; Leone would see this and snigger.

"Non sono Cristiani! " he was always saying, because this tormented Gian-Luca.