The article explores the positions of old French verse versions of the story of Barlaam and Josaphaz in the medieval French literature. It states that original Latin saint's life was over a period of about 45 years by three authors. It indicates that the French saints' lives based on the Latin originals date from the tenth and eleventh centuries. According to Douglas Kelly, the Latin lives were written for a religious audience and contain exhortation urging to emulate the saint.