The Growing Stone by Albert Camus. Short summary

5 seconds

D’Arrasta, a French engineer, arrives in a Brazilian town to build a dam. Here he meets the local population and finds himself at a festival dedicated to the ancient gods.

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D’Arrasta, a French engineer, arrives in the Brazilian town of Iguapé to build a dam. He is greeted by the highest ranks of the city. The moment is spoiled by a drunken police chief demanding documents from the engineer. The troublemaker is offered punishment, but the hero refuses.

D’Arrasta goes on a tour of the city. He sees the poverty in which the local population lives. He is told the story of the statue of Jesus that was fished out to sea. In the cave where they took it away, a stone has grown. Every year a procession and celebration is held there. The engineer meets an old sailor who has made a vow to bring a large stone to the feet of Jesus.

The hero is invited to a night feast dedicated to the ancient gods. Everyone in the hut dances furiously. The sailor, who had promised not to participate in the ceremony, joins the dancers.

The next day, the sailor, exhausted from the night’s dancing, can barely carry the stone. At last he falls from exhaustion, and the hero offers to help him. But he carries the stone not to the cave, but to the hut, to the horned god.