Two Youngsters and the Madonna (II)

With the money they had earned working, Gianni and Franco wanted to buy three or four candles, which was not too bad for a poor family like theirs. As they hurried down the road, they hardly noticed the beggar who held out his hand for alms and just walked right past him… However, Franco couldn’t forget the poor fellow; he had to talk to Gianni about him. “Wouldn't it be better to give our two hundred liras to that poor man we just saw on the roadside? Don't you think that the Madonna would be happier if we gave alms of our two hundred liras? Perhaps that poor fellow has no work and maybe his family has nothing to eat.” Gianni would have preferred to see some candles on his window sill, but Franco insisted so much that he won. In the end they both agreed that the Madonna would be happier that way… They ran back to the beggar, retracing their footsteps. They put the two hundred liras in his hand and ran back home as fast as their little legs could carry them, where they arrived out of breath. At home, they couldn’t believe their eyes. Franco eyes filled with tears, Gianni rubbed his eyes and pinched his ear. “This is incredible! Do you see what I see? Are we dreaming?” he asked to Franco. Large candles decorated the window sills, strongly lighting up the interior of the sitting room. They rushed into the house and, full of joy, they hugged their parents with all their might. What had happened? A little before midday, the father had gone on an errand in town and on his way he discovered his sons charging loads of coal. He quickly guessed the reason why they were working so hard and he was ashamed of himself. Later in the afternoon, he asked his boss for an advance and went and bought twenty candles… Then he promised his wife never to drink again and after telling her the beautiful story about their sons, the mother began cleaning and decorating the house for the feast on the following day. Since that day, Gianni and Franco were often seen in the small chapel at the port, piously attending morning mass.