Beggar sign

A blind beggar holds a sign asking for money. The usual “J’ai faim” (I’m hungry). Maupassant passes by and sees the sign. He doesn’t have any coins, but he does have something to write with.

“Old man,” he says, “I have no money to give you. But allow me to write something on your sign and you’ll be rewarded.”

The beggar agrees. Maupassant writes something and walks away.

The next passerby stops, reads the sign, and drops a coin in the beggar’s cup. Same thing happens again. And again. Everyone walking by drops in some change.

The next day, it’s even better.

Finally, the old man can’t stand it. He can’t figure out what Maupassant could possibly have written on his sign that made such a big difference. He stops someone and asks him to read it aloud.

“It says, ‘You who will once again see the flowers of spring, please help feed a man who shall never see them again.’”