She was reminded of the old story of the three orphans that she had heard so many times among the women of Castagna. She looked at the restless older boys and said, “Sit still, here, near me, and I’ll tell you a story so that you can learn to have faith in God’s Providence.” And she found contentment in the rhythms and phrases of the folktale she began to tell.

“There were three orphan boys, each of whom set out, one at a time, the eldest first, to find his fortune. ‘Whoever wants me for a servant, him will I serve,’ cried the first orphan as he came to a town. A fine signore came to a balcony and said he’d take the boy on if he would obey in everything, and the boy agreed.

“The next morning the master called the boy and said, ‘Take this letter, mount this horse, and let him take you where you must go to deliver the letter. But do not touch the reins because it will make him turn back.’

“The boy rode off until they arrived on the edge of a ravine, where, frightened, he pulled the reins and the horse turned back to town. His master then said, ‘You didn’t go where I sent you, you must leave my service. Go to that pile of money, take what you want, and then go.’

“The orphan filled his pockets and left, but as he did so he went straight to Hell.

“When the other two orphans saw that their older brother didn’t return, the second decided to go out and seek his fortune, too. And he was hired by the same master and given the same instructions. But he, too, pulled the horse’s reins on the edge of the ravine and was brought back to town, where he was let go, told to take what money he wanted, and after leaving, went straight to Hell.

“Then the youngest brother set out on the same road to town, was taken in by the same master, and was told: ‘I’ll give wages, give you food and whatever you want, but you must obey me.’

“The orphan accepted, and was given the letter and the instructions about not touching the horse’s reins. When he arrived at the same ravine as his brothers had, the boy looked down and felt gooseflesh on his skin, but he thought, ‘I’ll trust in God,’ and he closed his eyes. When he opened them he was on the other side.

“Then he arrived at a body of water as large as the sea and he thought, ‘I’ll surely drown. In my case, I put my trust in God.’ And, at that, the water parted and he got across.

“Going on, he came to a river of blood and thought, ‘My trust is in God!’ and the river opened a path to his horse.