Summary

When Ondrej and the boys return to Pastvina in the fall of 1914, World War I has begun. Jozef catches the fever of the boys his age: war is coming, an adventure, a chance to leave home. Jozef dislikes village life; he feels the village people criticize his father and he wants to bring pride to their name. Jozef sees the townspeople's view of him and wishes to see his father fight back somehow, but in his eyes as well, Ondrej has retreated inside himself. Jozef's stepbrothers head off to war, with a kind of recklessness that characterizes all men of age. Before they leave, Jozef gets into a massive fight with them; they almost get the best of him, but Zlee steps in and beats them both to a pulp. Zlee has to stop Jozef from killing them.

Jozef is too young...