The Family - Mario Puzo [137]
At one such evening fair, Cesare found a large hall set aside for wrestling matches. Straw covered the floor, and in the center they had constructed a wooden ring in which muscular young contestants grappled as they dripped with sweat and cursed each other.
Cesare searched the crowded room for a worthy contestant. There, standing near the ring, he saw a big, bald man, built as solid as a stone wall. He was a head taller than Cesare, and twice as wide. When Cesare asked about him, he was told the man was a farmer named Zappitto, and that he was currently the town champion.
But the townsman who gave Cesare this information was also quick to add, “He will not compete tonight.”
Cesare decided to approach Zappitto himself. “My good man,” Cesare said, “I have heard of your reputation. Would you consider honoring me with a match on this fine night, as you are the town champion?”
Zappitto grinned, showing his blackened teeth. He would be much admired in the town when he defeated the son of a Pope. And so it was agreed, the match was on.
Cesare and Zappitto removed their jackets, shirts, and boots. Cesare was muscular, but the champion had biceps and forearms twice the size of his. This provided the challenge Cesare needed.
The two men stepped into the ring.
“Two falls out of three,” the referee called aloud, and suddenly the crowd was silent.
The two men circled each other several times; then, suddenly, the huge man rushed Cesare. But Cesare ducked, and threw his weight at the legs of Zappitto. Using the weight and force of his opponent, Cesare threw him up and over his body, and Zappitto slammed to the floor on his back. As the champion lay stunned, Cesare dropped on his chest, scoring an immediate fall.
“One fall for the challenger!” the referee shouted.
The surprised crowd sat in silence for a moment, then began to shout and applaud.
Cesare and Zappitto went back to opposite sides of the ring.
The referee cried, “Go!”
Again the two men circled each other. But Zappitto was not a fool. This time there was no blind rush. He took his time and continued to circle.
Cesare made the first move. He whipped his leg against the knees of his rival, in an attempt to knock the farmer’s legs out from under him. But it was like kicking a tree trunk. Nothing happened.
Now Zappitto, who moved more quickly than Cesare expected, caught hold of Cesare’s foot and began whirling him around in circles, until Cesare’s head was spinning. The huge man then moved his grip to Cesare’s thigh and lifted him onto his own shoulders, spinning him around twice more. Finally he slammed Cesare facedown onto the straw and pounced on his groggy opponent, flipping him over and pressing his back to the floor.
The crowd roared as the referee called, “One fall for the champion!”
It took Cesare a minute or two to clear his head.
Then he was ready.
As the referee cried, “Go!” Cesare came out quickly.
He planned to grab Zappitto’s hand and fingers in a grip he had learned in Genoa. Then he would force the fingers back, and when the big man tried to step backward to avoid the pressure he would throw his own leg quickly behind Zappitto’s knees and push him over his own leg onto his back.
With this in mind, Cesare managed to grasp the farmer’s huge hand. With all his strength, he began to push Zappitto’s fingers backward. But to his surprise they were stiff as iron pipes.
Then slowly, sweating with the effort, Zappitto closed his fingers around Cesare’s hand, crushing his knuckles together. Cesare kept himself from crying out, and tried to use his free arm to get a headlock on Zappitto, but the big man caught that arm as well. Now, with a frown and a look of grave intensity on his face, Zappitto began to crush the knuckles of both Cesare’s hands.
The pain was so intense it took Cesare’s breath away, but in a strong last effort Cesare swung both his legs up and wrapped them around his rival’s gigantic waist. His legs were muscular