Indolent Jose and industrious, avaricious Pietro, like Jacob and Esau, are brothers. Rachel loves Jose, but admires Pietro for his enterprise. However, she refuses to marry either of them. The Padre suggests to the boys' aged father, that he tell his sons that the neglected fields have gold in them, in order to rouse Jose. Pietro immediately applies himself to searching for the gold, and in his greed deserts his father, who is cared for on his dying bed by Jose. Rachel at last consents to marry Jose, and Pietro, seeing that he is about to lose the girl, drugs his brother's wine and induces him to sell his share of the patrimony. Jose, on coming to himself, in shame and despair, wanders away. Returning a few weeks later, he learns that that very hour his brother has married Rachel. He goes to a certain rock and putting the gold he has received from Pietro underneath, with a note swearing revenge to the death, he cunningly informs his brother that there is one rock he has overlooked. Pietro and his bride discover the money and the challenge. Several years later finds Pietro reduced to poverty and stricken with illness. Jose, well-armed with gold and thirsty for his long-plotted revenge, sends his knife to his brother by a traveler, and then, stopping at the cottage which was once his home, he falls asleep. Meanwhile, Leah, the eight-year-old child of Pietro, has been listening to the Padre's story of the Legend Beautiful. She comes to the cottage with her basket full of bread and lilies and wakens the sleeping stranger. He hears with amazement that she is his brother's child, and her recital of the legend stirs him to repentance. Falling on his knees in the hut, he is vouchsafed a vision of the Christ. Then he hastens to Pietro's house and clasping his brother in his arms, begs his forgiveness. Not long after, Pietro succumbs to his sickness. On the threshold of taking holy orders, Jose learns of his brother's death. He and Rachel at last are united.