A boy of thoughtful intelligence and sensitivity, Robert Poulart grew up in an increasingly industrialized society. When his father died in an accident he and his 3 brothers and 2 sisters were left at their mother’s care. Being the eldest sibling he started working in an iron factory at the tender age of 11. When one of his brothers died of dysentery 3 years later he went through complex emotions of anxiety and loss. He realized that working in the factory would not satisfy his desires.
With the majority of his brothers and sisters working and earning enough money for the family, he decided to leave town. For 2 years he traveled southward.
In a tavern in the south of Spain he got into a conversation with the regulars. Soon he was asked to tell stories of his adventures. He did this so well that those who heard him orate praised his capacity for rhythm and inventiveness and they often felt hypnotized by his warm and lively voice.
Among the regulars of the tavern was a carpenter whose wife was bed-bound due to a mysterious illness. He was so touched by the boy’s stories that he hired him to be his helper and to tell stories to his wife.
In his early years as an apprentice he courted the carpenter’s beautiful daughter, Luciana Alvarez, who was to become his wife. As a wedding gift he received a plot of land where he single handedly built the house for his future family. He continued his trade as a carpenter and enjoined moderate success as a writer of novels about knights and damsels in distress.