Edited by:
Samantha Blanchod
Long ago, a man lived in Saint-Denis who was so poor that he decided to abandon his son rather than see him starve. Under the pretext of going to look for wood, he led his son into the forest and then abandoned him to his fate.
The child followed a path and came to an abandoned house; there was a light inside, but no one could be seen. The little boy, glad to have found shelter for the night, went inside and went to sleep. When he was about to fall asleep, he heard a voice ordering him to dig near the door. He obeyed and found a piñata full of gold, but did not touch it as it belonged to the master of the house. The voice ordered him to dig twice more and the boy found two more piñatas full of gold. When the voice asked him what he was going to do with all that gold, he replied that one piñata he would keep as a reward for his work, while the larger one he would give to a priest to give to the poor. The next morning, the master's piñata had disappeared; the boy then took the remaining ones and left. After a short time, he met a priest, who, after listening to him, decided to take him with him and make him study to become a priest.
Once he became a priest, the bishop sent him to Saint-Denis because the village had run out of curates. One day, an old man sent for him and confessed his woes. The old man had spent his life tormenting himself for having abandoned his child in the woods. Although he had gone back to look for him, he had never been able to find him again. The priest, moved, realised that the man was his father and after forgiving him, revealed his identity. The old man finally found peace and died peacefully in his son's arms. A long time ago, there lived in [[Saint-Denis]] a man so poor that he decided to abandon his son rather than see him starve. Under the pretext of going to look for wood, he led his son into the forest and then abandoned him to his fate. The child followed a path and arrived at an abandoned house; there was a light inside, but no one could be seen. The little boy, happy to have found shelter for the night, went inside and went to sleep. When he was about to fall asleep, he heard a voice ordering him to dig near the door. He obeyed and found a piñata full of gold, but did not touch it as it belonged to the master of the house. The voice ordered him to dig twice more and the boy found two more piñatas full of gold. When the voice asked him what he was going to do with all that gold, he replied that one piñata he would keep as a reward for his work, while the larger one he would give to a priest to give to the poor. The next morning, the master's piñata had disappeared; the boy then took the remaining ones and left. After a short time, he met a priest, who, after listening to him, decided to take him in and let him study to become a priest. Once he became a priest, the bishop sent him to Saint-Denis because the village was left without a curate. One day, an old man sent for him and confessed his woes. The old man had spent his life tormenting himself for having abandoned his child in the woods. Although he had gone back to look for him, he had never been able to find him again. The priest, moved, realised that the man was his father and after forgiving him, revealed his identity. The old man finally found peace and died peacefully in his son's arms.