One summer day, a boy named Nello,
who no longer had a mother or father found an abandoned dog in a field with his grandfather.
He said, ""Oh, you poor thing. You can come with me!""
Nello felt sorry for the dog and took him home.
He named the dog Patrasche.
They became very close, like brothers.
Nello and his grandfather collected milk from the farmers in the village,
and sold them in a town called Antwerp.
It was very tough, because Antwerp was 10 kilometers away.
They worked very hard, but they barely got by.
They were so poor that they could only afford to eat a cup of soup a day.
When Nello turned seven years old, his grandfather became ill.
Nello now had to take the heavy cart of milk to Antwerp without his grandfather.
However, Patrasche was always with Nello to help.
Although it was a tough journey to Antwerp every time, Nello loved going there.
Why?
Well, inside a large church in Antwerp, there was a great piece of artwork painted by Rubens.
Unfortunately, the painting was always covered with a white drape.
He needed to pay in order to see it.
However, Nello was just happy being near the painting by Rubens.
Nello loved viewing artwork and also painting.
""Hey, Patrasche. Some day, I am going to be a great painter.""
When Nello turned fifteen,
he decided he wanted to paint his friend, Aloise who was very pretty and kind.
She was a wealthy daughter who lived in a big mansion with a wind mill standing on a hill.
Aloise's father was not happy, for Nello was a poor milk vender.
He somehow wanted to separate them.
Aloise dressed up, because Nello was going to draw her.
But what he had was a piece of wood and one charcoal pencil.
""Aren't you going to draw me using paint?""
Aloise was a bit disappointed.
""Yeah, sorry. I only have these."" Nello apologized.
""Oh, I see...""
Nello was too poor to buy a set of paint.
He drew a picture of Aloise and Patrasche.
That drawing was amazing.
Aloise, of course loved it.
“Good, Aloise loved it. I want to paint for her again next time...”
thought Nello secretly.
He wanted to please her more.
He had not had lunch since that day because he wanted to save money.
Due to his effort however, he was able to buy paper and paint.
""Hey, Patrasche. Someday I am going to be a great painter.
My paintings will attract many people.
Then I will tell everyone like this.
I was able to become a painter thanks to Patrasche.
He has helped me all the way. He is my best friend!""
Nello told Patrasche, and Patrasche looked up at Nello happily.
One day, Nello heard about a painting exhibition for children to be held on Christmas Eve.
In the evening, Nello started drawing a lumberman resting on the stump.
He worked very hard, because he could get 200 francs if he won first place.
On the day of Christmas Eve,
Nello put his drawing in the cart and left for Antwerp with Patrasche.
He went to the reception and submitted his drawing.
Then, he noticed everyone's drawings were covered with fine cloth.
But he only had an old cloth.
He was embarrassed, so looking down, he gave his drawing to the woman at the reception.
Nello went into the snowy town. Of course with Patrasche.
""I will give you a lot of warm soup until you get full, Patrasche, if I win first place.""
At that time, Nello found a doll in the snow.
""Someone must have dropped it.
I can ask Aloise to keep it until we find who dropped it,”
thought Nello and visited her.
""Aloise, I actually submitted my drawing at the exhibition,"" said Nello.
""Wow, Nello, you surely will get first place. You are an excellent painter!""
Aloise was glad and temporarily kept the doll for him.
However, that night, Aloise's house went into flames.
Aloise’s father said, ""You must have done it, Nello!""
“No, it wasn’t me!”
Aloise's father doubted Nello, for he had hated Nello so much.
Many tragic things happened again and again.
New milk sellers came, so Nello lost his job.
Furthermore, his grandfather passed away.
After his gradfather’s funeral, the landlord visited Nello.
""Leave this house tomorrow morning, since you can't pay rent anymore.""
Morning came, and Nello and Patrasche left home.
On that day, it was snowing.
They headed to Antwerp.
Today was the day they announced the winner of the children's drawing exhibition.
""Patrasche, if we get 200 francs, let's buy a house for us.
Then, we can buy firewood.
We will put them in the fireplace.
We don't need to freeze anymore.
And then... yes, we can eat until we get full. ""
Nello and Patrasche had nothing but water for a long time.
He had remained poor and the two were already very weak.
"I must get first place,” Nello thought and saw the result.
His dream suddenly vanished.
The first place went to a painting of the sea.
It was not excellent, but lots of colors were used.
Nello and Patrasche left the exhibition and walked heavily.
""Oh no. What should we do, Patrasche? I wish I had money... Hmm?
What's wrong, Patrasche?... Oh!""
At that time, Patrasche found a wallet in the deep snow.
When Nello opened the wallet, he saw a lot of gold coins.
Nello looked around, making sure no one saw it.
""If we have these coins, we can get a house and buy a lot of bread.
I can even buy a lot of paint!""
Nello was excited.
He tried to hide it under his clothes, but then, he soon noticed something.
""Wait...I think this wallet belongs to Aloise's father. We must return it to him.""
They hurried to her house.
Nello gave the wallet to Aloise's mother.
""Patrasche found this wallet. Could you please feed him as a reward?
And if it is possible, please take care of him.
He's a great dog,"" said Nello, and said goodbye to her.
He again started walking in the snow. It was already night.
""Wait, Nello!""
Aloise and her mother ran after him, but they could not see where he was.
Aloise's father had been looking for his wallet in the snowy town,
but could not find it.
When he returned, Aloise told everything to him.
Her father then cried.
""It was my fault. Why did I hate such a great boy? Forgive me...""
Nello was starving. It’s no wonder. All he had was water.
He didn’t have much energy left to walk, but he headed to Antwerp.
He wanted to see the painting by Rubens.
He arrived at the church and stood in front of the painting.
Then, he sat down on the cold floor.
He felt some warm air on his shoulder.
He turned and saw his dear Patrasche!
""Patrasche! You came after me?"" said Nello and embraced Patrasche.
""Thank you, Patrasche. I know we are always together. I am sorry I left you. Patrasche, I will never leave you.""
The moonlight shined through into the church.
It got brighter around them.
It had stopped snowing, and the moon appeared from the clouds.
""Wow, look!""
Nello shouted, because he could finally see Rubens’ painting.
Actually, Patrasche tripped over the drape and revealed the painting.
The painting was of Christ.
""Patrasche... I finally saw it. Ah, what a wonderful painting!""
Nello was so happy that tears kept pouring down his eyes.
Nello's tears got Patrasche's neck wet, but it was warm.
""Patrasche, I am a little tired now. Can I sleep for a short time?""
""Woof,"" answered Patrasche, as if he said, ""Sleep now.""
Nello and Patrasche closed their eyes.
They were holding each other firmly.
The following morning, the Father of the church found Nello and Patrasche.
""Hello? What happened? You will catch a cold sleeping here. Hello...Oh my!...""
Holding each other, Nello and Patrasche were cold like ice.
They never opened their eyes again.
There, came Aloise, her father and mother, along with three other people.
Aloise ran to Nello and cried.
""Why? Nello, my father finally understands you.
From today, we can live together, so why?
Why did you go to heaven? Don't leave me alone...""
The three people were the judges from the art exhibition.
They cried and apologized to Nello.
""We had made a big mistake. Your drawing was not judged correctly.""
""It was a wonderful drawing of a lumberman.
We judged again, and your drawing was selected first place.""
Nello and Patrasche were slightly smiling as if they were listening.
Now, they were called to heaven.