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　　Ily&aacute；sthankedhisneighbour，andheandhiswifetookservicewithMuhammad-Shahaslabourers。Atfirstthepositionseemedhardtothem，buttheygotusedtoit，andlivedon，workingasmuchastheirstrengthallowed。

　　Muhammad-Shahfounditwastohisadvantagetokeepsuchpeople，because，havingbeenmastersthemselves，theyknewhowtomanageandwerenotlazy，butdidalltheworktheycould。YetitgrievedMuhammad-Shahtoseepeoplebroughtsolowwhohadbeenofsuchhighstanding。

　　IthappenedoncethatsomeofMuhammad-Shah’srelativescamefromagreatdistancetovisithim，andaMullahcametoo。

　　Muhammad-ShahtoldIly&aacute；stocatchasheepandkillit。Ily&aacute；sskinnedthesheep，andboiledit，andsentitintotheguests。Theguestsatethemutton，hadsometea，andthenbegandrinkingkumiss。

　　Astheyweresittingwiththeirhostondowncushionsonacarpet，conversingandsippingkumissfromtheircups，Ily&aacute；s，havingfinishedhisworkpassedbytheopendoor。Muhammad-Shah，seeinghimpass，saidtooneoftheguests:

　　’Didyounoticethatoldmanwhopassedjustnow？’

　　’Yes，’saidthevisitor，’whatisthereremarkableabouthim？’

　　’Onlythis——thathewasoncetherichestmanamongus，’repliedthehost。’HisnameisIly&aacute；s。Youmayhaveheardofhim。’

　　’OfcourseIhaveheardofhim，’theguestanswered’Ineversawhimbefore，buthisfamehasspreadfarandwide。’

　　’Yes，andnowhehasnothingleft，’saidMuhammad-Shah，’andheliveswithmeasmylabourer，andhisoldwomanisheretoo——

　　shemilksthemares。’

　　Theguestwasastonished:heclickedwithhistongue，shookhishead，andsaid:

　　’Fortuneturnslikeawheel。Onemanitlifts，anotheritsetsdown！

　　Doesnottheoldmangrieveoverallhehaslost？’

　　’Whocantell。Helivesquietlyandpeacefully，andworkswell。’

　　’MayIspeaktohim？’askedtheguest。’Ishouldliketoaskhimabouthislife。’

　　’Whynot？’repliedthemaster，andhecalledfromthekib&iacute；tka[18]

　　inwhichtheyweresitting:

　　’Babay；’whichintheBashkirtonguemeans’Grandfather’’comeinandhaveacupofkumisswithus，andcallyourwifeherealso。’

　　Ily&aacute；senteredwithhiswife；andafterexchanginggreetingswithhismasterandtheguests，herepeatedaprayer，andseatedhimselfnearthedoor。Hiswifepassedinbehindthecurtainandsatdownwithhermistress。

　　ACapofkumisswashandedtoIly&aacute；s；hewishedtheguestsandhismastergoodhealth，bowed，drankalittle，andputdownthecup。

　　’Well，Daddy，’saidtheguestwhohadwishedtospeaktohim，’Isupposeyoufeelrathersadatthesightofus。Itmustremindyouofyourformerprosperity，andofyourpresentsorrows。’

　　Ily&aacute；ssmiled，andsaid:

　　’IfIweretotellyouwhatishappinessandwhatismisfortune，youwouldnotbelieveme。Youhadbetteraskmywife。Sheisawoman，andwhatisinherheartisonhertongue。Shewilltellyouthewholetruth。’

　　Theguestturnedtowardsthecurtain。

　　’Well，Granny，’hecried，’tellmehowyourformerhappinesscompareswithyourpresentmisfortune。’

　　AndSham-Shemagiansweredfrombehindthecurtain:

　　’ThisiswhatIthinkaboutit:MyoldmanandIlivedforfiftyyearsseekinghappinessandnotfindingit；anditisonlynow，theselasttwoyears，sincewehadnothingleftandhavelivedaslabourers，thatwehavefoundrealhappiness，andwewishfornothingbetterthanourpresentlot。’

　　Theguestswereastonished，andsowasthemaster；heevenroseanddrewthecurtainback，soastoseetheoldwoman’sface。

　　Thereshestoodwithherarmsfolded，lookingatheroldhusband，andsmiling；andhesmiledbackather。Theoldwomanwenton:

　　’Ispeakthetruthanddonotjest。Forhalfacenturywesoughtforhappiness，andaslongaswewererichweneverfoundit。Nowthatwehavenothingleft，andhavetakenserviceaslabourers，wehavefoundsuchhappinessthatwewantnothingbetter。’

　　’Butinwhatdoesyourhappinessconsist？’askedtheguest。

　　’Why，inthis，’shereplied，’whenwewererichmyhusbandandIhadsomanycaresthatwehadnotimetotalktooneanother，ortothinkofoursouls，ortopraytoGod。Nowwehadvisitors，andhadtoconsiderwhatfoodtosetbeforethem，andwhatpresentstogivethem，lesttheyshouldspeakillofus。Whentheyleft，wehadtolookafterourlabourerswhowerealwaystryingtoshirkworkandgetthebestfood，whilewewantedtogetallwecouldoutofthem。Sowesinned。Thenwewereinfearlestawolfshouldkillafoaloracalf，orthievesstealourhorses。Welayawakeatnight，worryinglesttheewesshouldoverlietheirlambs，andwegotupagainandagaintoseethatallwaswell。Onethingattendedto，anothercarewouldspringup:how，forinstance，togetenoughfodderforthewinter。Andbesidesthat，myoldmanandIusedtodisagree。Hewouldsaywemustdosoandso，andI

　　woulddifferfromhim；andthenwedisputed——sinningagain。Sowepassedfromonetroubletoanother，fromonesintoanother，andfoundnohappiness。’

　　’Well，andnow？’

　　’Now，whenmyhusbandandIwakeinthemorning，wealwayshavealovingwordforoneanotherandwelivepeacefully，havingnothingtoquarrelabout。Wehavenocarebuthowbesttoserveourmaster。Weworkasmuchasourstrengthallowsanddoitwithawill，thatourmastermaynotlosebutprofitbyus。Whenwecomein，dinnerorsupperisreadyandthereiskumisstodrink。

　　Wehavefueltoburnwhenitiscoldandwehaveourfurcloak。Andwehavetimetotalk，timetothinkofoursouls，andtimetopray。Forfiftyyearswesoughthappiness，butonlynowatlasthavewefoundit。’

　　Theguestslaughed。

　　ButIly&aacute；ssaid:

　　’Donotlaugh，friends。Itisnotamatterforjesting——itisthetruthoflife。Wealsowerefoolishatfirst，andweptatthelossofourwealth；butnowGodhasshownusthetruth，andwetellit，notforourownconsolation，butforyourgood。’

　　AndtheMullahsaid:

　　’Thatisawisespeech。Ily&aacute；shasspokentheexacttruth。ThesameissaidinHolyWrit。’

　　Andtheguestsceasedlaughingandbecamethoughtful。

　　thethreehermitsTHETHREEHERMITS

　　ANOLDLEGENDCURRENTINTHEVOLGADISTRICT

　　’Andinprayingusenotvainrepetitions，astheGentilesdo:fortheythinkthattheyshallbeheardfortheirmuchspeaking。Benotthereforelikeuntothem:foryourFatherknowethwhatthingsyehaveneedof，beforeyeaskHim。’——Matt。vi。7，8。

　　ABISHOPwassailingfromArchangeltotheSolov&eacute；tskMonastery；

　　andonthesamevesselwereanumberofpilgrimsontheirwaytovisittheshrinesatthatplace。Thevoyagewasasmoothone。

　　Thewindfavourable，andtheweatherfair。Thepilgrimslayondeck，eating，orsatingroupstalkingtooneanother。TheBishop，too，cameondeck，andashewaspacingupanddown，henoticedagroupofmenstandingneartheprowandlisteningtoafishermanwhowaspointingtotheseaandtellingthemsomething。TheBishopstopped，andlookedinthedirectioninwhichthemanwaspointing。Hecouldseenothinghowever，buttheseaglisteninginthesunshine。Hedrewnearertolisten，butwhenthemansawhim，hetookoffhiscapandwassilent。Therestofthepeoplealsotookofftheircaps，andbowed。

　　’Donotletmedisturbyou，friends，’saidtheBishop。’Icametohearwhatthisgoodmanwassaying。’

　　’Thefishermanwastellingusaboutthehermits，’repliedone，atradesman，ratherbolderthantherest。

　　’Whathermits？’askedtheBishop，goingtothesideofthevesselandseatinghimselfonabox。’Tellmeaboutthem。Ishouldliketohear。Whatwereyoupointingat？’

　　’Why，thatlittleislandyoucanjustseeoverthere，’answeredtheman，pointingtoaspotaheadandalittletotheright。’Thatistheislandwherethehermitsliveforthesalvationoftheirsouls。’

　　’Whereistheisland？’askedtheBishop。’Iseenothing。’

　　’There，inthedistance，ifyouwillpleaselookalongmyhand。Doyouseethatlittlecloud？Belowitandabittotheleft，thereisjustafaintstreak。Thatistheisland。’

　　TheBishoplookedcarefully，buthisunaccustomedeyescouldmakeoutnothingbutthewatershimmeringinthesun。

　　’Icannotseeit，’hesaid。’Butwhoarethehermitsthatlivethere？’

　　’Theyareholymen，’answeredthefisherman。’Ihadlongheardtellofthem，butneverchancedtoseethemmyselftilltheyearbeforelast。’

　　Andthefishermanrelatedhowonce，whenhewasoutfishing，hehadbeenstrandedatnightuponthatisland，notknowingwherehewas。Inthemorning，ashewanderedabouttheisland，hecameacrossanearthhut，andmetanoldmanstandingnearit。

　　Presentlytwootherscameout，andafterhavingfedhim，anddriedhisthings，theyhelpedhimmendhisboat。

　　’Andwhataretheylike？’askedtheBishop。