The Wizard’s Fairy Tale

Once upon a time there was a hermit who lived in a forest at the foot of a mountain and spent his time in prayer and doing good deeds. In order to worship God, he has to carry two loads of water up the mountain every night. The wind is tight on the mountain and the water is very scarce. Even those wild birds that are afraid of people will hover in the air and use their sharp eyes to find drinks, so that the animals and plants are nourished and watered. Because the hermit was so devout, an angel of God appeared and went up with the hermit every day, counted his steps, and when he finished his work, the angel gave him food, just like the old prophet It is as if the will is to be fed by crows. The hermit was always so devout, and at last he grew old. Once he saw a poor criminal being led to the gallows from afar, and he murmured to himself: That man deserved what he deserved! On that night, when he was carrying water up the mountain, the angel who often accompanied him disappeared. No food was brought to him afterwards. He was frightened, and quickly reflected on himself, thinking that he must have committed a crime and enslaved God, but after thinking about it, he couldn't figure out where the crime was committed. So he did not eat or drink, lay on the ground, and prayed day and night. One day, he was crying in the forest again, when he heard a bird singing so sweetly, his mood suddenly became more sad, and he said: Look how happy you are singing, God didn't live You are angry, alas! If you can tell me how I offended him, I can atone for it, and then my heart will be happy. Only the bird spoke, You have done unrighteous things, you cursed A criminal who was taken to the gallows, so God was angry, and only He has the right to judge! But as long as you repent and repent, God will forgive you. At this time, the angel appeared beside him again, holding a dry branch in his hand. , said: You shall carry this branch till three green shoots sprout from it; but you shall put it under your pillow at night when you sleep. And you shall go from house to house to beg your bread, and you shall not Staying in the same house for more than one night. That's God's punishment for you.

The hermit took the branch and returned to the world he had lost for a long time. All he ate and drank was the handouts he got at the door. But many people ignored his begging, and some people simply didn't open the door, so sometimes he didn't even get a little bread. One day, he went to beg from house to house again, but no one gave him anything from morning to night, and no one was willing to keep him overnight. Finally, he walked into a forest and found a man-made hole in which he was sitting. an old lady. So he said: Good old woman, let me stay at your house for one night! Only the old man replied: No, even if I wanted to, I wouldn't dare. I have three sons, they are brutal and vicious, and they are going out now. The robbery is gone, and when they come back and find you here, we will be finished. The hermit said: Let me stay! They won't harm you and me. After entering, the hermit lay down under the stairs, with the branch under his head. Seeing this, the old man asked him the reason, and he told her that he had to wander around with this branch because of his sin, and used it as a pillow at night, and said that he had seen a poor criminal being hanged, but he said that he He deserved what he deserved, so he offended God. The old man burst into tears after hearing this, and only heard her say: If God punishes you just for saying one wrong sentence, then what will happen to my sons when they are judged by God?

In the middle of the night, the robbers yelled and went home. They lit the fire, and the cave was brightly lit. They happened to find someone lying under the stairs, and they became furious, and shouted at their mother, Who is this guy? Aren't we forbidden to take in anyone? Don't touch him, said the mother, he is a poor man, and he is atoning for his sins! The robbers asked in unison, What has he done? Old man, they roared, tell us Your sin. So the old man got up and told them exactly how he had offended God with one word, and now he had to repent. His words moved the robbers deeply. They were afraid of what they had done, and they began to reflect carefully, sincerely repent, and determined to change their mistakes. After the hermit had made the three men repent, he went back to lie down under the stairs. Next morning they found him dead, with three green twigs growing high up on the dry branch on which his head rested. It turned out that God was merciful again and took him to heaven.