But to the old man, a son who abandons his roots is a branch that has cut itself off from the tree. In the traditional code of the mountains, pride didn't come from wealth or comfort. Pride came from continuity. It came from standing on the same soil as your ancestors and keeping their fire burning.
When the old man said he had no proud son, he didn't mean he was ashamed of Stefan's achievements. He meant that the specific, fierce pride of their bloodline—the pride of the mountain nomad—had died with him. Tinu Vereezan - Naa are fin mГўndr
He traded the ancient Aromanian dialect for the language of global commerce. But to the old man, a son who
"Tinu Vereezan - Naa are fin mândr" translates from the Aromanian language to English as But to the old man