Theoldwomannoddedherhead，andputthesackontheboy’sback，andtheywentdownthestreettogether，theoldwomanquiteforgettingtoaskMartintopayfortheapple。Martinstoodandwatchedthemastheywentalongtalkingtoeachother。
WhentheywereoutofsightMartinwentbacktothehouse。Havingfoundhisspectaclesunbrokenonthesteps，hepickeduphisawlandsatdownagaintowork。Heworkedalittle，butcouldsoonnotseetopassthebristlethroughtheholesintheleather；andpresentlyhenoticedthelamplighterpassingonhiswaytolightthestreetlamps。
’Seemsit’stimetolightup，’thoughthe。Sohetrimmedhislamp，hungitup，andsatdownagaintowork。Hefinishedoffonebootand，turningitabout，examinedit。Itwasallright。Thenhegatheredhistoolstogether，sweptupthecuttings，putawaythebristlesandthethreadandtheawls，and，takingdownthelamp，placeditonthetable。ThenhetooktheGospelsfromtheshelf。Hemeanttoopenthemattheplacehehadmarkedthedaybeforewithabitofmorocco，butthebookopenedatanotherplace。AsMartinopenedit，hisyesterday’sdreamcamebacktohismind，andnosoonerhadhethoughtofitthanheseemedtohearfootsteps，asthoughsomeoneweremovingbehindhim。Martinturnedround，anditseemedtohimasifpeoplewerestandinginthedarkcorner，buthecouldnotmakeoutwhotheywere。Andavoicewhisperedinhisear:’Martin，Martin，don’tyouknowme？’
’Whoisit？’mutteredMartin。
’ItisI，’saidthevoice。AndoutofthedarkcornersteppedStepá；nitch，whosmiledandvanishinglikeacloudwasseennomore。
’ItisI，’saidthevoiceagain。Andoutofthedarknesssteppedthewomanwiththebabyinherarmsandthewomansmiledandthebabylaughed，andtheytoovanished。
’ItisI，’saidthevoiceoncemore。Andtheoldwomanandtheboywiththeapplesteppedoutandbothsmiled，andthentheytoovanished。
AndMartin’ssoulgrewglad。Hecrossedhimselfputonhisspectacles，andbeganreadingtheGospeljustwhereithadopened；
andatthetopofthepageheread’Iwasanhungred，andyegavememeat:Iwasthirsty，andyegavemedrink:Iwasastranger，andyetookmein。’
Andatthebottomofthepageheread’Inasmuchasyedidituntooneofthesemybrethreneventheseleast，yedidituntome’(Matt。xxv)。
AndMartinunderstoodthathisdreamhadcometrue；andthattheSaviourhadreallycometohimthatday，andhehadwelcomedhim。
thestoryofivanthefoolTHESTORYOFIVÁ；NTHEFOOL
ANDOFHISTWOBROTHERS，SIMONTHESOLDIERANDTARÁ；STHESTOUT；
ONCEuponatime，inacertainprovinceofacertaincountry，therelivedarichpeasant，whohadthreesons:SimontheSoldier，Tará；stheStout，andIvá；ntheFool，besidesanunmarrieddaughter，Martha，whowasdeafanddumb。SimontheSoldierwenttothewarstoservetheking；Tará；stheStoutwenttoamerchant’sintowntotrade，andIvá；ntheFoolstayedathomewiththelass，totillthegroundtillhisbackbent。
SimontheSoldierobtainedhighrankandanestate，andmarriedanobleman’sdaughter。Hispaywaslargeandhisestatewaslarge，butyethecouldnotmakeendsmeet。Whatthehusbandearnedhisladywifesquandered，andtheyneverhadmoneyenough。
SoSimontheSoldierwenttohisestatetocollecttheincome，buthisstewardsaid，’whereisanyincometocomefrom？Wehaveneithercattle，nortools，norhorse，norplough，norharrow。Wemustfirstgetallthese，andthenthemoneywillcome。’
ThenSimontheSoldierwenttohisfatherandsaid:’You，father，arerich，buthavegivenmenothing。Dividewhatyouhave，andgivemeathirdpart，thatImayimprovemyestate。’
Buttheoldmansaid:’Youbroughtnothingintomyhouse；whyshouldIgiveyouathirdpart？ItwouldbeunfairtoIvá；nandtothegirl。’
ButSimonanswered，’Heisafool；andsheisanoldmaid，anddeafanddumbbesides；what’sthegoodofpropertytothem？’
Theoldmansaid，’WewillseewhatIvá；nsaysaboutit。’
AndIvá；nsaid，’Lethimtakewhathewants。’
SoSimontheSoldiertookhisshareofhisfather’sgoodsandremovedthemtohisestate，andwentoffagaintoservetheking。
Tará；stheStoutalsogatheredmuchmoney，andmarriedintoamerchant’sfamily，butstillhewantedmore。Sohe，also，cametohisfatherandsaid，’Givememyportion。’
ButtheoldmandidnotwishtogiveTará；sashareeither，andsaid，’Youbroughtnothinghere。Ivá；nhasearnedallwehaveinthehouse，andwhyshouldwewronghimandthegirl？’
ButTará；ssaid，’Whatdoesheneed？Heisafool！Hecannotmarry，noonewouldhavehim；andthedumblassdoesnotneedanythingeither。Lookhere，Ivá；n！’saidhe，’givemehalfthecorn；Idon’twantthetools，andofthelivestockIwilltakeonlythegreystallion，whichisofnousetoyoufortheplough。’
Ivá；nlaughedandsaid，’Takewhatyouwant。Iwillworktoearnsomemore。’
SotheygaveasharetoTará；salso，andhecartedthecornawaytotown，andtookthegreystallion。AndIvá；nwasleftwithoneoldmare，toleadhispeasantlifeasbefore，andtosupporthisfatherandmother。
NowtheoldDevilwasvexedthatthebrothershadnotquarrelledoverthedivision，buthadpartedpeacefully；andhesummonedthreeimps。
’Lookhere，’saidhe，’therearethreebrothersSimontheSoldier，Tará；stheStout，andIvá；ntheFool。Theyshouldhavequarrelled，butarelivingpeaceablyandmeetonfriendlyterms。ThefoolIvá；nhasspoiltthewholebusinessforme。Nowyouthreegoandtacklethosethreebrothers，andworrythemtilltheyscratcheachother’seyesout！Doyouthinkyoucandoit？’
’Yes，we’lldoit，’saidthey。
’Howwillyousetaboutit？’
’Why，’saidthey，’firstwe’llruinthem。Andwhentheyhaven’tacrusttoeatwe’lltiethemuptogether，andthenthey’llfighteachother，sureenough！’
’That’scapital；Iseeyouunderstandyourbusiness。Go，anddon’tcomebacktillyou’vesetthembytheears，orI’llskinyoualive！’
Theimpswentoffintoaswamp，andbegantoconsiderhowtheyshouldsettowork。Theydisputedanddisputed，eachwantingthelightestjob；butatlasttheydecidedtocastlotswhichofthebrotherseachimpshouldtackle。Ifoneimpfinishedhistaskbeforetheothers，hewastocomeandhelpthem。Sotheimpscastlots，andappointedatimetomeetagainintheswamptolearnwhohadsucceededandwhoneededhelp。
Theappointedtimecameround，andtheimpsmetagainintheswampasagreed。Andeachbegantotellhowmattersstood。Thefirst，whohadundertakenSimontheSoldier，began:’Mybusinessisgoingonwell。To-morrowSimonwillreturntohisfather’shouse。’
Hiscomradesasked，’Howdidyoumanageit？’
’First，’sayshe，’ImadeSimonsoboldthatheofferedtoconquerthewholeworldforhisking；andthekingmadehimhisgeneralandsenthimtofighttheKingofIndia。Theymetforbattle，butthenightbefore，IdampedallthepowderinSimon’scamp，andmademorestrawsoldiersfortheIndianKingthanyoucouldcount。
AndwhenSimon’ssoldierssawthestrawsoldierssurroundingthem，theygrewfrightened。Simonorderedthemtofire；buttheircannonsandgunswouldnotgooff。ThenSimon’ssoldierswerequitefrightened，andranlikesheep，andtheIndianKingslaughteredthem。Simonwasdisgraced。Hehasbeendeprivedofhisestate，andto-morrowtheyintendtoexecutehim。Thereisonlyoneday’sworkleftformetodo；Ihavejusttolethimoutofprisonthathemayescapehome。To-morrowIshallbereadytohelpwhicheverofyouneedsme。
Thenthesecondimp，whohadTará；sinhand，begantotellhowhehadfared。’Idon’twantanyhelp，’saidhe，’myjobisgoingallright。Tará；scan’tholdoutformorethanaweek。FirstIcausedhimtogrowgreedyandfat。Hiscovetousnessbecamesogreatthatwhateverhesawhewantedtobuy。Hehasspentallhismoneyinbuyingimmenselotsofgoods，andstillcontinuestobuy。
Alreadyhehasbeguntouseborrowedmoney。Hisdebtshanglikeaweightroundhisneck，andheissoinvolvedthathecannevergetclear。Inaweekhisbillscomedue，andbeforethenIwillspoilallhisstock。Hewillbeunabletopayandwillhavetogohometohisfather。’
Thentheyaskedthethirdimp(Ivan’s)，’Andhowareyougettingon？’
’Well，’saidhe，’myaffairgoesbadly。FirstIspatintohisdrinktomakehisstomachache，andthenIwentintohisfieldandhammeredthegroundhardasastonethatheshouldnotbeabletotillit。Ithoughthewouldn’tploughit，butlikethefoolthatheis，hecamewithhisploughandbegantomakeafurrow。Hegroanedwiththepaininhisstomach，butwentonploughing。Ibrokehisploughforhim，buthewenthome，gotoutanother，andagainstartedploughing。Icreptundertheearthandcaughtholdoftheploughshares，buttherewasnoholdingthem；heleantheavilyupontheplough，andtheploughsharewassharpandcutmyhands。
Hehasallbutfinishedploughingthefield，onlyonelittlestripisleft。Comebrothers，andhelpme；forifwedon’tgetthebetterofhim，allourlabourislost。Ifthefoolholdsoutandkeepsonworkingtheland，hisbrotherswillneverknowwant，forhewillfeedthemboth。’
SimontheSoldier’simppromisedtocomenextdaytohelp，andsotheyparted。
