Two knights were one day traveling together through a thick forest on their way to a tournament. They were brothers, and each of them possessed great riches.

As they were walking along, the demon of greed tempted both of them with the same wicked thought: that of killing his brother, in order to obtain his share of wealth.

But they were Catholics, and feared to offend God. They both bravely resisted the temptation, but still their consciences were not at rest. When they reached the nearest village, one of the knights said to the other,

"I am going to look for a priest, for I want to go to Confession."

The other one answered, "I have the same desire in my mind."

They went to the nearby church and made their Confession. After both had finished and were about to continue their journey, one of them said to the other,

"My brother, I must tell you of a terrible temptation that came into my mind as we were passing through the forest - satan tempted me to take away your life, that I might obtain your wealth."

The other brother stepped back in surprise.

"My dear brother," he said, "the same thought also came into my mind, and I was tempted to kill you, that I might possess your property. But I, like yourself, banished the temptation."

This event filled them both with a horror for wealth, which so nearly caused this terrible crime. Immediately, they both resolved to renounce forever the riches of this world, so dangerous to our earthly life and eternal salvation. They went to live together in a hut which they built for themselves in the forest.

Thus was begun the famous monastery in the forest of Molesme, in the middle of the eleventh century.