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　　’I’lljustlookinandseewhatisthere，’thoughthe，andhegavethedoorapush。Thesealsgaveway，thedooropened，andthegodsonenteringsawahallmoreloftyandbeautifulthanalltheothers，andinthemidstofitathrone。Hewanderedaboutthehallforawhile，andthenmountedthestepsandseatedhimselfuponthethrone。Ashesattherehenoticedasceptreleaningagainstthethrone，andtookitinhishand。Hardlyhadhedonesowhenthefourwallsofthehallsuddenlydisappeared。Thegodsonlookedaround，andsawthewholeworld，andallthatmenweredoinginit。

　　Helookedinfront，andsawtheseawithshipssailingonit。Helookedtotheright，andsawwherestrangeheathenpeoplelived。Helookedtotheleft，andsawwheremenwhowereChristians，butnotRussians，lived。Helookedround，andonthefourthside，hesawRussianpeople，likehimself。

　　’Iwilllook，’saidhe，’andseewhatishappeningathome，andwhethertheharvestisgood。’

　　Helookedtowardshisfather’sfieldsandsawthesheavesstandinginstooks。Hebegancountingthemtoseewhethertherewasmuchcorn，whenhenoticedapeasantdrivinginacart。Itwasnight，andthegodsonthoughtitwashisfathercomingtocartthecornbynight。ButashelookedherecognizedVas&iacute；lyKoudryash&oacute；f，thethief，drivingintothefieldandbeginningtoloadthesheavesontohiscart。Thismadethegodsonangry，andhecalledout:

　　’Father，thesheavesarebeingstolenfromourfield！’

　　Hisfather，whowasoutwiththehorsesinthenight-pasture，wokeup。

　　’Idreamtthesheaveswerebeingstolen，’saidhe。’Iwilljustridedownandsee。’

　　Sohegotonahorseandrodeouttothefield。FindingVas&iacute；lythere，hecalledtogetherotherpeasantstohelphim，andVas&iacute；lywasbeaten，bound，andtakentoprison。

　　Thenthegodsonlookedatthetown，wherehisgodmotherlived。Hesawthatshewasnowmarriedtoatradesman。Shelayasleep，andherhusbandroseandwenttohismistress。Thegodsonshoutedtoher:

　　’Getup，getup，yourhusbandhastakentoevilways。’

　　Thegodmotherjumpedupanddressed，andfindingoutwhereherhusbandwas，sheshamedandbeathismistress，anddrovehimaway。

　　Thenthegodsonlookedforhismother，andsawherlyingasleepinhercottage。Andathiefcreptintothecottageandbegantobreakopenthechestinwhichshekeptherthings。Themotherawokeandscreamed，andtherobberseizinganaxe，swungitoverhisheadtokillher。

　　Thegodsoncouldnotrefrainfromhurlingthesceptreattherobber。

　　Itstruckhimuponthetemple，andkilledhimonthespot。

　　Assoonasthegodsonhadkilledtherobber，thewallsclosedandthehallbecamejustasithadbeenbefore。

　　Thenthedooropenedandthegodfatherentered，andcominguptohisgodsonhetookhimbythehandandledhimdownfromthethrone。

　　’Youhavenotobeyedmycommand，’saidhe。’Youdidonewrongthing，whenyouopenedtheforbiddendoor；another，whenyoumountedthethroneandtookmysceptreintoyourhands；andyouhavenowdoneathirdwrong，whichhasmuchincreasedtheevilintheworld。Hadyousathereanhourlonger，youwouldhaveruinedhalfmankind。’

　　Thenthegodfatherledhisgodsonbacktothethrone，andtookthesceptreinhishand；andagainthewallsfellasunderandallthingsbecamevisible。Andthegodfathersaid:

　　’Seewhatyouhavedonetoyourfather。Vas&iacute；lyhasnowbeenayearinprison，andhascomeouthavinglearnteverykindofwickedness，andhasbecomequiteincorrigible。See，hehasstolentwoofyourfather’shorses，andheisnowsettingfiretohisbarn。Allthisyouhavebroughtuponyourfather。’

　　Thegodsonsawhisfather’sbarnbreakingintoflames，buthisgodfathershutoffthesightfromhim，andtoldhimtolookanotherway。

　　’Hereisyourgodmother’shusband，’hesaid。’Itisayearsincehelefthiswife，andnowhegoesafterotherwomen。Hisformermistresshassunktostilllowerdepths。Sorrowhasdrivenhiswifetodrink。That’swhatyouhavedonetoyourgodmother。’

　　Thegodfathershutoffthisalso，andshowedthegodsonhisfather’shouse。Therehesawhismotherweepingforhersins，repenting，andsaying:

　　’Itwouldhavebeenbetterhadtherobberkilledmethatnight。Ishouldnothavesinnedsoheavily。’

　　’That，’saidthegodfather，’iswhatyouhavedonetoyourmother。’

　　Heshutthisoffalso，andpointeddownwards；andthegodsonsawtwowardersholdingtherobberinfrontofaprison-house。

　　Andthegodfathersaid:

　　’Thismanhadmurderedtenmen。Heshouldhaveexpiatedhissinshimself，butbykillinghimyouhavetakenhissinsonyourself。

　　Nowyoumustanswerforallhissins。Thatiswhatyouhavedonetoyourself。Theshe-bearpushedthelogasideonce，anddisturbedhercubs；shepusheditagain，andkilledheryearling；shepusheditathirdtime，andwaskilledherself。Youhavedonethesame。NowIgiveyouthirtyyearstogointotheworldandatonefortherobber’ssins。Ifyoudonotatoneforthem，youwillhavetotakehisplace。’

　　’HowamItoatoneforhissins？’askedthegodson。

　　Andthegodfatheranswered:

　　’Whenyouhaveridtheworldofasmuchevilasyouhavebroughtintoit，youwillhaveatonedbothforyourownsinsandforthoseoftherobber。’

　　’HowcanIdestroyevilintheworld？’thegodsonasked。

　　’Goout，’repliedthegodfather，’andwalkstraighttowardstherisingsun。Afteratimeyouwillcometoafieldwithsomemeninit。

　　Noticewhattheyaredoing，andteachthemwhatyouknow。Thengoonandnotewhatyousee。Onthefourthdayyouwillcometoaforest。Inthemidstoftheforestisacellandinthecelllivesahermit。Tellhimallthathashappened。Hewillteachyouwhattodo。Whenyouhavedoneallhetellsyou，youwillhaveatonedforyourownandtherobber’ssins。’

　　And，havingsaidthis，thegodfatherledhisgodsonoutofthegate。

　　Thegodsonwenthisway，andashewenthethought:HowamItodestroyevilintheworld？Evilisdestroyedbybanishingevilmen，keepingtheminprison，orputtingthemtodeath。HowthenamItodestroyevilwithouttakingthesinsofothersuponmyself？’

　　Thegodsonponderedoveritforalongtime，butcouldcometonoconclusion。

　　Hewentonuntilhecametoafieldwherecornwasgrowingthickandgoodandreadyforthereapers。Thegodsonsawthatalittlecalfhadgotinamongthecorn。Somemenwhowereathandsawit，andmountingtheirhorsestheychaseditbackwardsandforwardsthroughthecorn。Eachtimethecalfwasabouttocomeoutofthecornsomeonerodeupandthecalfgotfrightenedandturnedbackagain，andtheyallgallopedafterit，tramplingdownthecorn。Ontheroadstoodawomancrying。

　　’Theywillchasemycalftodeath，’shesaid。

　　Andthegodsonsaidtothepeasants:

　　’Whatareyoudoing？Comeoutofthecornfieldallofyou，andletthewomancallhercalf。’

　　Themendidso；andthewomancametotheedgeofthecornfieldandcalledtothecalf。’Comealongbrowney，comealong，’saidshe。Thecalfprickedupitsears，listenedawhile，andthenrantowardsthewomanofitsownaccord，andhiditsheadinherskirts，almostknockingherover。Themenweregladthewomanwasglad，andsowasthelittlecalf。

　　Thegodsonwenton，andhethought:

　　’NowIseethatevilspreadsevil。Themorepeopletrytodriveawayevil，themoretheevilgrows。Evil，itseems，cannotbedestroyedbyevil；butinwhatwayitcanbedestroyed，Idonotknow。

　　Thecalfobeyeditsmistressandsoallwentwell；butifithadnotobeyedher，howcouldwehavegotitoutofthefield？’

　　Thegodsonponderedagain，butcametonoconclusion，andcontinuedhisway。

　　Hewentonuntilhecametoavillage。Atthefurthestendhestoppedandaskedleavetostaythenight。Thewomanofthehousewastherealone，house-cleaning，andshelethimin。Thegodsonentered，andtakinghisseatuponthebrickovenhewatchedwhatthewomanwasdoing。Hesawherfinishscrubbingtheroomandbeginscrubbingthetable。Havingdonethis，shebeganwipingthetablewithadirtycloth。Shewipeditfromsidetoside——butitdidnotcomeclean。Thesoiledclothleftstreaksofdirt。Thenshewipedittheotherway。Thefirststreaksdisappeared，butotherscameintheirplace。Thenshewipeditfromoneendtotheother，butagainthesamethinghappened。Thesoiledclothmessedthetable；

　　whenonestreakwaswipedoffanotherwaslefton。Thegodsonwatchedforawhileinsilence，andthensaid:

　　’Whatareyoudoing，mistress？’

　　’Don’tyouseeI’mcleaningupfortheholiday。OnlyIcan’tmanagethistable，itwon’tcomeclean。I’mquitetiredout。’

　　’Youshouldrinseyourcloth，’saidthegodson，’beforeyouwipethetablewithit。’

　　Thewomandidso，andsoonhadthetableclean。

　　’Thankyoufortellingme，’saidshe。