Top of the World
It was the year 1640. Above Ospedaletto, a poor boy, deaf-mute from birth, was grazing some sheep, but he was very intelligent, and he made himself very well understood by the population with certain mottos of his hands and mouth. The boy bore his misfortune peacefully, not even dreaming that one day he would be cured of his infirmity. Now here is what is said. One summer's day the boy was at his usual place of pasture with his sheep, when suddenly he seemed to see a bright light coming towards him.... The sheep turned away in fear; but he was not afraid, and looked. And in the midst of a white cloud he saw a young lady, wrapped in white garments, holding a spinning wheel in her left hand, and with her right hand she beckoned him to come closer. The deaf-mute took off his hat and dutifully approached. The lady smiled benevolently at the shepherd boy, put her hand on his head, and said, "My dear boy! You were deaf and dumb; but now you must hear and speak. Didst thou not hear what I said? Speak!" And the boy, "Yes, ma'am," he answered with jubilation; "I have heard and can speak. But who are you, and what do you want?" "I am the Madonna, and I have come from heaven to heal you. Leave your sheep here; they will go home alone; you run to the village and tell the people that Our Lady has appeared to you and healed you. Here then you will build a chapel in my honour; and you will have me painted with the rock you see in my hand, the symbol of home work". Having said this, Our Lady disappeared, after having blessed the shepherd boy. The boy, abandoning his sheep, ran down the slope, shouting: "Our Lady has healed me! Our Lady has healed me!". Imagine the amazement of those peasants!' They all ran to see and question the little shepherd boy, already deaf and dumb, who could hear and speak! It was shouted, of course, the miracle, and from all over the valley was a pilgrimage to Ospedaletto to see the miraculous, and many also went to the place of the event).
