Una volta, in chiesa, un povero contadinello udì il parroco che diceva: -Chi vuole arrivare nel regno dei cieli, deve sempre andare diritto-. Allora egli si mise in cammino e andò sempre diritto, senza mai cambiare direzione, per monti e per valli. Alla fine la strada lo condusse in una gran città e in mezzo alla chiesa, dove si stava appunto celebrando la messa. Quando vide tutta quella magnificenza, egli credette di essere arrivato in cielo, si mise a sedere ed era tutto contento. Finita la messa, quando il sagrestano gli ordinò di uscire, egli rispose: -No, non voglio uscire, sono felice di essere finalmente in cielo-. Allora il sagrestano andò dal parroco e gli disse che in chiesa c'era un bambino che non voleva più uscire perché‚ credeva di essere nel regno dei Cieli. Il parroco disse: -Se lo crede, lascialo pure-. Poi andò dal ragazzo e gli chiese se aveva voglia di lavorare. Sì, rispose il bambino, a lavorare c'era abituato, ma dal cielo non voleva più andarsene. Così rimase in chiesa, e quando vide la gente che andava a inginocchiarsi e a pregare davanti all'immagine, scolpita in legno, della Madonna con Gesù Bambino, pensò che fosse il buon Dio e disse: -Senti un po', buon Dio, come sei magro! Sicuramente ti fanno patire la fame: ti porterò io, ogni giorno, metà del mio pasto-. Da allora in poi, ogni giorno, portava metà del suo pasto alla statua, e la statua si mise a mangiare. Dopo un paio di settimane, la gente si accorse che la statua si era fatta più grande e diventava forte e robusta, e si meravigliò. Anche il parroco non riusciva a capirci nulla, cosi rimase in chiesa, seguì il bambino e vide che divideva il suo pane con la Madonna, e questa l'accettava. Dopo qualche tempo il ragazzo s'ammalò e non pot‚ lasciare il letto per otto giorni; ma come si alzò, la prima cosa che fece fu portare il suo cibo alla Madonna. Il parroco lo seguì e sentì che diceva: -Buon Dio, non avertene a male se per tanto tempo non ti ho portato nulla: sono stato malato e non potevo alzarmi-. Allora la statua gli rispose: -Ho visto la tua buona volontà, e ciò mi basta. Domenica prossima verrai a nozze con me-. Il fanciullo si rallegrò e lo disse al parroco, e questi lo pregò di andare dalla statua e di domandarle se poteva andarci anche lui. -No- rispose la statua -tu solo.- Il parroco volle prepararlo e dargli la comunione e il ragazzo ne fu contento. La domenica seguente, quando ricevette l'ostia consacrata, cadde a terra morto: era alle nozze eterne.
A poor peasant-boy one day heard the priest say in church that whosoever desired to enter into the kingdom of heaven must always go straight onward. So he set out, and walked continually straight onwards over hill and valley without ever turning aside. At length his way led him into a great town, and into the midst of a church, where just at that time God's service was being performed. Now when he beheld all the magnificence of this, he thought he had reached heaven, sat down, and rejoiced with his whole heart. When the service was over, and the clerk bade him go out, he replied, "No, I will not go out again, I am glad to be in heaven at last." So the clerk went to the priest, and told him that there was a child in the church who would not go out again, because he believed he was in heaven. The priest said, "If he believes that, we will leave him inside." So he went to him, and asked if he had any inclination to work. "Yes," the little fellow replied, "I am accustomed to work, but I will not go out of heaven again." So he stayed in the church, and when he saw how the people came and knelt and prayed to Our Lady with the blessed child Jesus which was carved in wood, he thought "that is the good God," and said, "Dear God, how thin you are! The people must certainly let you starve; but every day I will give you half my dinner." From this time forth, he every day took half his dinner to the image, and the image began to enjoy the food. When a few weeks had gone by, people remarked that the image was growing larger and stout and strong, and wondered much. The priest also could not understand it, but stayed in the church, and followed the little boy about, and then he saw how he shared his food with the Virgin Mary, and how she accepted it.
After some time the boy became ill, and for eight days could not leave his bed; but as soon as he could get up again, the first thing he did was to take his food to Our Lady. The priest followed him, and heard him say, "Dear God, do not take it amiss that I have not brought you anything for such a long time, for I have been ill and could not get up." Then the image answered him and said, "I have seen thy good-will, and that is enough for me. Next Sunday thou shalt go with me to the wedding." The boy rejoiced at this, and repeated it to the priest, who begged him to go and ask the image if he, too, might be permitted to go. "No," answered the image, "thou alone." The priest wished to prepare him first, and give him the holy communion and the child was willing, and next Sunday, when the host came to him, he fell down and died, and was at the eternal wedding.
After some time the boy became ill, and for eight days could not leave his bed; but as soon as he could get up again, the first thing he did was to take his food to Our Lady. The priest followed him, and heard him say, "Dear God, do not take it amiss that I have not brought you anything for such a long time, for I have been ill and could not get up." Then the image answered him and said, "I have seen thy good-will, and that is enough for me. Next Sunday thou shalt go with me to the wedding." The boy rejoiced at this, and repeated it to the priest, who begged him to go and ask the image if he, too, might be permitted to go. "No," answered the image, "thou alone." The priest wished to prepare him first, and give him the holy communion and the child was willing, and next Sunday, when the host came to him, he fell down and died, and was at the eternal wedding.