The treasure of Valbonne

If ever a plowman enjoyed the gentle tranquility of the fields, it was the brave Galdric, whose hovel was in the vicinity of the abbey of Valbonne. Every day he went to fertilize his master's land, having no other concern than that of making furrows.

Contents

However, one day Galdric was having his meal in the shade of a large oak tree when an old woman passed by, leaning and stepping on a hazel stick.

- Hey! Santa Dona! cried the plowman.

And the good old woman having stopped exchanged a few insignificant words with her interlocutor, Then she left him saying:

Will be riquissim, you, fill méu, Si baixa la mara de Deu, (You will be very rich, you, my child, when the Virgin descends).

- Donchs, may ne seré, (I never will be).

- Will not be if thefts, (You will be if you want).

And the old woman disappeared, while Galdric burst out laughing.

Left alone and left to his own thoughts, the plowman, naturally gullible, said to himself that it was not impossible after all that the prediction would come true: riquissim! This sweet word resonated well in his ear; it haunted her mind and made her forget her songs. In the evening, he confided in his wife who, radiant, advised him to go and throw herself at the feet of the Virgin of Valbonne.

And the plowman went to recite prayers, in the chapel, in front of the statue of the Virgin, only interrupting himself to pronounce this formula:

- Baixi, mare de Peu, baixi. (Come down, mother of God, come down). But the Virgin was impassive on her pedestal.

Galdric then withdrew, retaining boundless hope: The moment for the miracle has not yet arrived, he thought; let's wait. "

One fine day, however, seeing that his prayers were producing no effect, he went to meet events, took the statue in his arms, and put it down further. He had the awkwardness to overturn the plinth and, bending down to pick up the debris, saw a worn slab on the ground which seemed to block an opening. He quickly unsealed the stone and put his hand through the gaping opening: his fingers touched a rough skin of a fairly large size and he gently removed the package.

What was his amazement, on unfolding the skin to discover a heap of gold coins which jingled merrily! He plunged his hands eagerly into it and, for an hour, remained hypnotized in front of the treasure. He was therefore riquissim, and this is how the prediction of the good old woman probably sent by heaven came true.

When he had quickly stuffed his pockets and filled his pockets, he got up to join his wife and tell her the happy news. But the calfskin he was carrying seemed to slip like a snake from his hands; the more he squeezed her in his fingers, the more she fidgeted; he wanted to throw it away from him, but he could not let go. And as if moved by an irresistible force, the skin crossed the space, forcibly dragging the plowman across the fields.

Galdric walked for a long time thus towards the boundless horizon, without being able to give up the trouble and without being able to stop. After several days of walking, he reached hell where his greed was punished.