Origins of THE CLOWN OF GOD Story

Tomie was just asked about the origins of his story THE CLOWN OF GOD.

The "Storyteller's Note" in THE CLOWN OF GOD explains:
The French legend of the little juggler who offers the gift of his talent and the miracle that occurs is well known. The version I loved as a child was the one told by the master storyteller Anatole France. In the oral tradition, storytellers through the centuries have told and retold tales, changing them often to fit their own lives and mores. Following this tradition, I have lovingly retold this ancient legend, shaping it to my own life and experience, and called it by its oldest known title.

The version by Anatole France that Tomie loved as a child was "Le Jongleur de Notre Dame."

But, THE CLOWN OF GOD is not a retelling of "Le Jongleur de Notre Dame." Both Anatole France and Tomie retold a medieval legend that was about two sentences in length.