"Do you want to know what it says?" Babbo said over my shoulder.
"Yes please."
"En giro torte sol circlos et rotor igne," he said, pointing out each word. "Behold, I the sun turn the orbits at an angle and am turned by the fire."
That was what Pietro always said, but, magic words or not, they made no sense to me. "Oh," I said.
"Don't you know what that means?"
I looked at the floor and shook by head. I hated not understanding.
"Orbits are the paths the sun, the moon, and the planets follow around the Earth," he explained. "Each planet is part of a separate crystal circle, tucked inside each other like the layers of an onion. All the layers rub against each other, so when the sun layer turns, it makes the layer next to it move, too, like when I roll a quill pen between my fingers. The fire-- the glory of God-- turns the sun. So whoever made the wheel wants to remind the people who see it that God's glory and his love for us make the planets and stars move in the heavens."
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