Two brothers living in lower Italy inherited no insignificant sum that within a short time they had wasted. Because they were ashamed to beg they moved into the forest, built a fortress and robbed the passing pilgrims.
When they had gathered a meaningful treasure this way, it happened by God’s grace that the older robber’s sins weighed heavily on his heart, and he was gripped by strong regret. He told his brother that he had decided to enter a monastery and encouraged his younger brother to do the same. The younger brother rejected this suggestion indignantly, but at least let himself be convinced to give up his present way of life and to enter the service of a king.
When the two parted, the older brother received the promise of the younger that he would visit him once a year in the monastery and let him know how he was, and how things were in the outside world. With that, he entered an abbey where he was graciously accepted and soon gained the admiration of the monks.
After a year his brother appeared and told him that he stood in good stead with the king. “I only lack one thing,” he added, “I want a wife very much, and it suits me as little to marry a maid of little status as it does to live with a mistress.”
“You should not take up with a concubine,” said the monk. “I will pray that you find a bride that is worthy of your honor.” [But without the help of the Virgin Mary we won’t be able to succeed, so I ask that from today on you for your part to pray five Ave Marias each day.” This, the brother promised to do and then he returned to the court. — After a year, he sought out the monk once more. To the question from his brother, the monk revealed that he had arranged a betrothal to a beautiful and highborn maid but who had demanded a three-year engagement and only after a year would she reveal herself to him. In the meantime, he was to pray fifteen Ave Marias each day.
He had agreed to these terms although he would have liked to see now who was predestined for him, and returned home. After another year when he returned to his brother and demanded to see the bride, the monk led him to a window from which he could see the whole church. He told him to wait there while he went to the high altar and began fervent prayer.
After a while the Virgin Mary appeared and showed herself to the brother waiting at the window, who from the heavenly light was so blinded that he fell unconscious to the floor. The returning monk found him, to whom the brother declared that he was now ready to forgo all earthly love and to give himself to this sublime bride of God who had shown herself so worthy with this revelation.
The brother then revealed to him that the Virgin had told him that after a year the two brothers would die at the same hour; therefore, the younger should remain true to the Virgin and fifteen times each day speak the Ave Maria.
The two then parted with tears of joy, and at the predicted time went to heaven.