noon
The speed of the dancers slackened like that of a spinning top , and they came to a sudden standstill . Luigi returned to Carina and his place by the fire , and Carlotta got out the hand-organ . All the morning she made the children practice the figures of the dance to music , until they were ready to drop with fatigue . While she prepared the soup for their noon meal they were allowed to rest , but immediately afterwards the donkeys were harnessed again , and to the music of their tinkling bells the little cavalcade moved on . For some time they travelled over the steep mountain roads without seeing a soul ; then they met a girl driving a flock of sheep to pasture . Later they overtook some peasant women walking like queens with great loads of wood on their heads . Beyond them they passed an ox-team , and Beppo whispered to Beppina , `` It 's a good sign to meet oxen in the road . ''