GOLDEN FEET
There was, once, in the hamlet of Pont-de-Pîle, a blacksmith a fathom high, as strong as a pair of oxen. He was a man blacker than the hearth, with a long beard, bristling hair, and eyes red as coals. He never set foot in a church, and he ate meat at all times, even on Good Friday. It was said that the Blacksmith of Pont-de-Pîle was not of the Christian race.
The fact is that he lived alone in his house, where the practices were ordered never to enter and to call the master outside when they had anything to do with him. The Blacksmith was second to none at working iron, as well as gold and silver. The work fell on him like hail. He gave order to everything, with no other help than a black wolf, as big as a horse. Night and day, this wolf lived locked in the wheel that moved the forge bellows. Seven young people presented themselves to the master, to learn the trade. But the trials were so severe that they died within three days.
At that time, there lived in the hamlet of La Côte a poor widow, who lived alone with her son in her little house. When the boy was fourteen years old, he said to his mother one evening:
“Mother, we are both killing ourselves, without even earning enough to live on. Tomorrow, I will go and find the Blacksmith of Pont-de-Pîle, and I will be his apprentice.
"My son, this man never sets foot in a church, and he eats meat at all times, even on Good Friday. It is said that he is not of the Christian race."
"Mother, the Blacksmith of Pont-de-Pîle will not win me over."
"My son, seven young people went to his house to learn the trade. But the trials were so strong, so strong, that they died within three days.
"Mother, I will endure the trials, and I will not die."
"My son, I entrust everything to the grace of God and the Blessed Virgin Mary."
They both went to bed. The next day, at daybreak, the boy was in front of the Blacksmith's shop in Pont-de-Pîle.
“Ho! Blacksmith of Pont-de-Pîle! Ho! ho! ho!"
"Boy, what do you want?"
"Blacksmith of Pont-de-Pîle, I want to be your apprentice."
"Boy, come in here."
The boy entered the shop, without fear.
“Boy, prove to me that you are strong."
The boy took an anvil weighing seven hundred pounds and threw it out more than a hundred fathoms.
“Boy, prove to me that you are clever."
The boy walked away in front of a spider's web, which he unwound and twisted from one end to the other, without ever breaking the thread.
“Boy, prove to me that you are bold."
The boy opened the door of the wheel, where the black wolf as big as a horse lived, night and day, who operated the forge bellows. Immediately, the wolf rushed forward. But the boy grabbed him in the air by the neck, cut off his tail and four legs on an anvil, and burned him alive in the fire of the forge.
"Boy, your trials are over. You are strong, skillful, and bold. In three days you will be at my service. I will pay you well. But I do not intend for you to stay or eat with me."
"Master, you will be obeyed."
The Apprentice greeted the Blacksmith of Pont-de-Pîle and left. As soon as he went outside, he thought:
"My mother is right. My master is not a man like the others. I will hide and watch for him for three days and three nights without him seeing me. Then I will know who I am dealing with."
With this thought, the Apprentice went to find his mother.
“Mother, we are rich. The Blacksmith of Pont-de-Pîle took me on as an apprentice. I start in three days. Without commanding you, mother, give me a bag full of bread, and a gourd full of wine. I need to take a trip, and I am in a hurry to leave, to return on time.
"Here, my son. May the Good Lord and the Blessed Virgin protect you from all misfortunes."
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