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Barnaby would wander through the towns. Seeing a good-sized gathering of people at a fair or a marketplace, he would entertain the crowd.

big or fairly big

When it rained, he had no audience and no way to eat.

The spectators or listeners assembled at a performance

Juggling is playing with balls in the air.

Playing with balls in the air

The monk was the prior who took charge of all the monks.

the superior of a house or group of houses of any of

various religious communities

At that time, a juggler was a street person, a show by himself.

One who practices or exhibits tricks by keep (two or more

objects) in the air at one time by alternately tossing and

catching them.

One of those miserable days, Barnaby was sitting by the road

wondering where to go.

very unhappy

OUR LADY’S JUGGLER

From out of a French legendArrived a poor juggler, called John.His role was to amuse the crowdWith his jokes, patter, and song.

Though he was kindheartedAnd very devout…He was often the buttOf cruel jokes, and what-not.

When no more can be takenHis tormentors he flees.To serve God, he became a monk,For their forgiveness, he prayed

on his knees.

At the abbey, it’s a happier life.(A better fed one; that’s a

certainty.)But his desire to please the Virgin,Is ruined by his own inferiority.

One day in great desperation,He put on his old costume.In front of her statue, he juggled,And sang of his favorite tune.

The older friars rushed in,To prevent his serious sacrilege.But they saw the statue smile,With her kind gesture of

knowledge.

Legend says the comic continued,Without a single fumble.The moral?  A gift from the heart

is pure…No matter how humble.