day he brought water in his mouth and watered the brands; and the other half he rested, and received the people.

And the godson began to think that this was the way he had been commanded to live, and that thus he would destroy sin, and atone for his sins.

Thus the godson lived a second year, and he never let a single day pass without putting on water; but as yet not a single brand had sprouted.

One time as he was sitting in his cell he heard a man riding past on horseback, and singing songs.

son went out to see what kind of a man it was.

The god-
He saw

a strong young man. His clothes were good, and his horse and the saddle on which he sat were rich.

The godson stopped him, and asked who he was, and where he was going.

The man halted.

"I am a robber," said he. "I ride along the highways, I kill men; the more men I kill, the gayer songs I sing."

The godson was horror-struck, and he asked himself: "How destroy the evil in this man? It is good for me to speak to those who come to me, for they are repentant. But this man boasts of his wickedness."

The godson said nothing, but, as he started to go off, he thought:

"Now, how to act? If this cutthroat gets into the habit of riding by this way, he will frighten everybody; people will cease coming to me. And there will be no advantage to them, yes, and then how shall I live?" And the godson stopped. And he spoke to the highwayman.

"People come to me here," said he, "not to boast of their wickedness, but to repent, and put their sins away through prayer. Repent thou also, if thou fearest God; but if thou dost not desire to repent, then get thee hence, and never return, trouble me not, and frighten not the people from coming to me. And if thou dost not obey, God will punish thee."

The cutthroat jeered :

"I am not afraid of God," said he, "nor will I obey you. You are not my master.1 You get your living by your piety," said he, "and I get my living by robbery. We must all get a living. Teach the peasant women that come to thee, but read me no lecture. And as for what you say about God, to-morrow I will kill two men more than usual. And I would kill you to-day, but I do not wish to soil my hands. But henceforth don't come

into my way."

This threat the cutthroat uttered and rode off. But he came by no more, and the godson lived in his former style comfortably for eight years.

CHAPTER XI

ONE time - it was at night - - the godson went out to water his brands; he returned to his cell to rest, and he sat looking up and down the road, if any people should soon be coming. And on that day not a soul came. The godson sat alone by his door until evening; and it seemed lonely, and he began to think about his life. He remembered how the cutthroat had reproached him for getting his living by his piety, and the godson reviewed his life.

"I am not living," he said to himself, "as the hermit commanded me to live. The hermit imposed a penance on me, and I am getting from it bread and reputation among the people; and so led away have I been by it, that I am lonely when people do not come to me. And when the people come, then my only joy consists in the fact that they praise my holiness. It is not right to live so. I have been seduced by my popularity among the people. I have not atoned for my former sins, but I have incurred fresh ones. I will go into the forest, to another place, so that the people may not come to me. I will live alone, so as to atone for my former sins, and not incur new ones."

Thus reasoned the godson; and he took a little bag

1 Khozyain.

of biscuits and his spade, and went away from the cell into a ravine, so as to dig for himself a hut in a gloomy place, to hide from the people.

The godson was walking along with his little bag and his spade when the cutthroat overtook him. The godson was frightened, tried to run, but the cutthroat caught up with him.

"Where are you going?" said he.

The godson told him that he wanted to go away from people, to a place where no one would find him. The cutthroat marveled.

"How will you live now, when people no longer will come to you?"

The godson had not thought of this before; but when the cutthroat asked him, he began to think about his sustenance.

"On what God will give," said he.

The highwayman said nothing, but rode on.

"Why was it," said the godson to himself, "that I said nothing to him about his life? Perhaps now he is repentant. To-day he seemed more subdued, and did not threaten to kill me.'

And the godson shouted to the cutthroat:

"But still it is needful for thee to repent. Thou wilt not escape from God."

The cutthroat wheeled his horse around, and, drawing a knife from his belt, shook it at the godson. The godson was frightened; he ran into the forest.

The cutthroat did not attempt to follow him, but only shouted:

"Twice I have let you off; fall not in my hands a third time, else I will kill you!"

He said this, and rode off.

The godson went at eventide to water his brands; behold! one had put forth sprouts, an apple tree was growing from it.

CHAPTER XII

THE godson hid from the people, and began to live alone. His biscuits were used up.

"Well," he said to himself, "now I will seek for roots."

But, as he began his search, he saw, hanging on a bough, a little bag of biscuits. The godson took it, and began to eat.

As soon as his biscuits were gone, again another little bag came, on the same branch. And thus the godson lived. He had only one grievance: he was afraid of the cutthroat. As soon as he heard the cut

throat, he would hide himself; he would think :

"He will kill me, and I shall not have time to atone for my sins."

Thus he lived for ten years more. One apple tree grew, and thus there remained two firebrands as firebrands.

Once the godson arose betimes and proceeded to fulfil his task; he soaked the earth around the firebrands, but he became weary, and sat down to rest.

He sat down, and while he was resting he said to himself:

"I have done wrong because I have been afraid of death. If it please God, I may thus atone even by death for my sins."

Even while these thoughts were passing through his mind, suddenly he heard the cutthroat coming; he was cursing.

The godson listened, and he said :

"Without God, no evil and no good can come to me from any one."

He saw

And he went out to meet the cutthroat. that the cutthroat was not riding alone, but had a man behind him on the saddle. And the man's hands and mouth were tied up. The man was silent, but the cutthroat was railing at him.

The godson went out to the cutthroat, and stood in front of the horse.

"Where," said he, "art thou taking this man?"

"I am taking him into the forest. This is a merchant's son. He will not tell where his father's money is hidden. I am going to thrash him until he will tell." And the cutthroat started to ride on. But the godson would not allow it; he seized the horse by the bridle. "Let this man go," said he.

The cutthroat was wroth with the godson and threatened him.

"Do you desire this?" he exclaimed. you I will kill you. Out of the way!" The godson was not intimidated.

"I promise

"I will not get out of thy way," said he. "I fear thee not. I fear God only. And God bids me not let

The cutthroat scowled, drew out his knife, cut the cords, let the merchant's son go free.

"Off with you," says he, "both of you! and don't cross my path a second time."

The merchant's son jumped down and made off, and the cutthroat started to ride on, but the godson still detained him. He began to urge him to reform his evil life. The cutthroat stood still, heard every word; but he made no reply, and rode off.

The next morning the godson went to water his firebrands. Behold! the second one had sprouted-another apple tree was growing.

CHAPTER XIII

T

TEN years more passed.

One time the godson was sitting down, he had no desires and he had no fear, and his heart was glad within him. And he said to himself:

"What blessings men receive from God! but they torment themselves in vain. They ought to live and enjoy their lives."

how

And he remembered all the wickedness of men they torment themselves. And he felt sorry for them.