Giovanni Verga in the Fields"), including ""Fantasticheria"" ("Daydreaming"), ""La lupa"" ("The She-wolf"), ""Jeli il pastore"" ("Jeli the Shepherd"), ""Pentolaccia"" ("The Plaything"), and "Rosso Malpelo", most of which were about rural Sicily, came out. It also included ""Cavalleria rusticana"" ("Rustic Chivalry"), which he adapted for the theatre and later formed the basis for several opera librettos including Mascagni's "Cavalleria rusticana" and Gastaldon's "Mala Pasqua!". Verga's short story, ""Malaria"", was one of the first literary depictions of the disease malaria. He then embarked on a projected series of five novels, but only completed two, "I Malavoglia" and "Mastro-don Gesualdo" (1889), the second of which
Cavalleria rusticana ("We rejoice that our Saviour is living!") joined by Santuzza. The villagers enter the church, while Santuzza and Lucia remain outside. Lucia asks Santuzza why she signalled her to remain silent when Alfio said that he had seen Turiddu that morning. Santuzza exclaims, "Voi lo sapete" ("You well know") and tells Lucia the story of her seduction by Turiddu and his affair with Lola. Lucia pities Santuzza, who feels dishonored, having been seduced by Turiddu only to be abandoned by him for his old flame, Lola. Santuzza feels she cannot enter the church, but begs Lucia to go inside herself