The setting is a small Italian village - the story is of a small boy and his sick donkey. The boy believes that God can make his donkey well again and tries to take his donkey into the local church. When the priest refuses permission, the boy hitch-hikes to Rome and finally gains admission to the Vatican where a "higher authority" irons out his problems and sends a message to the priest that the donkey be allowed a brief interlude in the Church.