i learned a lot of things from the other children of the village , from blind marya who was always in her father 's courtyard and full of laughter and ready talk , and from the boys who came to play , simon the fool , who really was n't a fool , but who laughed all the time and was very kind , and jason the fat , who was fat , and round james and tall james and bold michael , and daniel the zealot , who was called that because he went at everything `` in a fury . ''