The Jewel Of Paris

There were rough seas and rain on the day that I came to the New World, this year of our Lord I had barely made land when Papal command insisted that I stay on board. I was given a child born in the wild long a distant from Ville Quebec's hold. He was brown in the shade the billowed sails made and barely a month or two old. “And so mon petit we are borne 'cross the sea to the council of good King Louis. There is hot bread and tea for my baby and me and the wonder of all of Paris.” And there was strong drink in hand the day we made land. Our arrival was met with such joy. I was taken to work from morning 'til dark and erstwhile I cared for the boy. So quickly he grew! Before he was two he was bigger than boys twice his age. A marvel for sure, a heart brave and pure, impressing both subject and sage. “So, mon petit, you were born 'cross the sea in a country beyond Acadie. And though your people for free they were destined to be in bondage; the slaves of Paris.” But the boy grew up tall (a wonder to all) in the court of Louis the fourteenth. There was hot bread and tea, the court of Louis, and a wonderfully rare human being. In becoming a man, he'd soon understand that he was not born like the rest. He was tall, brown and lean. His eyes; dark and clean And a different heart beat in his chest “And so, mon petit, you were born 'cross the sea to the Huron of Ville Sainte Marie. You just happened to be entrusted to me to bring you as the Jewel of Paris.” There was terror inside on the day that she died. The first time that he'd been alone. He knelt by her bed. He picked up her head, and with her last breath she made known through all of her days and from each of her pays she'd committed near half what she made She'd put it away, so that on this day, the price of his freedom was paid. And she said “no, mon petit, you were not born to me but I've loved you as if you might be. I have saved, mon petit, so that you can be free. Return you to Ville Saint Marie.” And so mon petit took a boat, crossed the sea, to the countries beyond Acadie to the Ville Sainte Marie, in Huron country. The young man arrived proud ... and free.