Page:RussianFolkTales Afanasev 368pgs.djvu/139

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THE POOR WIDOW
123

keg with money in it on the way. The Saviour said: "Keg, go and roll to the rich peasant's door."

And again the Apostles were astonished.

"Lord, it would have been better had you bidden the keg roll to the poor widow's door, for the rich man has so much."

"That is how it must be," the Saviour said. And they went on.

And the keg with the money in it rolled straight to the rich peasant's door, and the peasant took and hid the money and was still discontented. "Surely the Lord might have sent me more," he mused.

Christ and the Apostles went on their way and travelled still further. At midday the sun was very hot, and the Apostles wanted to drink.

"Lord," they said, "we should like to drink."

"Go," replied the Saviour, "and on this road you will find a well. There take your fill."

So the Apostles went on and on and on, and they saw a well. When they looked into it there was filth and dirt, toads, snakes and frogs, and everything vile, and the Apostles would not drink of it, and swiftly returned to the Saviour.

"Why did you not drink the water?" Christ asked them.

"As you, Lord, told us, the well was there, but it was so horrible that we could hardly look into it."

Christ answered never a word.

And they went forward on their road. They went on and on and on, and the Apostles again said to the Saviour: "We are thirsty."

So the Saviour sent them in another direction. "There you will see a well. Go and drink your fill."

The Apostles went to the other well, and there it was, beautiful—oh, so delightful! Enchanted trees were there and birds of paradise. They did not ever