Inthemorninghetookleaveofthewomanandwentonhisway。Afterwalkingagoodwhile，hecametotheedgeofaforest。
Therehesawsomepeasantswhoweremakingwheel-rimsofbentwood。
Comingnearer，thegodsonsawthatthemenweregoingroundandround，butcouldnotbendthewood。
Hestoodandlookedon，andnoticedthattheblock，towhichthepieceofwoodwasfastened，wasnotfixed，butasthemenmovedrounditwentroundtoo。Thenthegodsonsaid:
’Whatareyoudoing，friends？’
’Why，don’tyousee，wearemakingwheelrims。Wehavetwicesteamedthewood，andarequitetiredout，butthewoodwillnotbend。’
’Youshouldfixtheblock，friends，’saidthegodson，’orelseitgoesroundwhenyoudo。’
Thepeasantstookhisadviceandfixedtheblock，andthentheworkwentonmerrily。
Thegodsonspentthenightwiththem，andthenwenton。Hewalkedalldayandallnight，andjustbeforedawnhecameuponsomedroversencampedforthenight，andlaydownbesidethem。Hesawthattheyhadgotalltheircattlesettled，andweretryingtolightafire。Theyhadtakendrytwigsandlightedthem，butbeforethetwigshadtimetoburnup，theysmotheredthemwithdampbrushwood。Thebrushwoodhissedandthefiresmoulderedandwentout。Thenthedroversbroughtmoredrywood，litit，andagainputonthebrushwood——andagainthefirewentout。Theystruggledwithitforalongtime，butcouldnotgetthefiretoburn。Thenthegodsonsaid:
’Donotbeinsuchahurrytoputonthebrushwood。Letthedrywoodburnupproperlybeforeyouputanyon。Whenthefireiswellalightyoucanputonasmuchasyouplease。’
Thedroversfollowedhisadvice。Theyletthefireburnupfiercelybeforeaddingthebrushwood，whichthenflaredupsothattheysoonhadaroaringfire。
Thegodsonremainedwiththemforawhile，andthencontinuedhisway。
Hewenton，wonderingwhatthethreethingshehadseenmightmean；buthecouldnotfathomthem。
Thegodsonwalkedthewholeofthatday，andintheeveningcametoanotherforest。Therehefoundahermit’scell，atwhichheknocked。
’Whoisthere？’askedavoicefromwithin。
’Agreatsinner，’repliedthegodson。Imustatoneforanother’ssinsaswellasformyown。
Thehermithearingthiscameout。
’Whatsinsarethosethatyouhavetobearforanother？’
Thegodsontoldhimeverything:abouthisgodfather；abouttheshe-bearwiththecubs；aboutthethroneinthesealedroom；aboutthecommandshisgodfatherhadgivenhim，aswellasaboutthepeasantshehadseentramplingdownthecorn，andthecalfthatranoutwhenitsmistresscalledit。
’Ihaveseenthatonecannotdestroyevilbyevil，’saidhe，’butI
cannotunderstandhowitistobedestroyed。Teachmehowitcanbedone。
’Tellme，’repliedthehermit，’whatelseyouhaveseenonyourway。’
Thegodsontoldhimaboutthewomanwashingthetable，andthemenmakingcart-wheels，andthedroversfightingtheirfire。
Thehermitlistenedtoitall，andthenwentbacktohiscellandbroughtoutanoldjaggedaxe。
’Comewithme，’saidhe。
Whentheyhadgonesomeway，thehermitpointedtoatree。
’Cutitdown，’hesaid。
Thegodsonfelledthetree。
’Nowchopitintothree，’saidthehermit。
Thegodsonchoppedthetreeintothreepieces。Thenthehermitwentbacktohiscell，andbroughtoutsomeblazingsticks。
’Burnthosethreelogs，’saidhe。
Sothegodsonmadeafire，andburntthethreelogstillonlythreecharredstumpsremained。
’Nowplantthemhalfintheground，likethis。’
Thegodsondidso。
’Youseethatriveratthefootofthehill。Bringwaterfromthereinyourmouth，andwaterthesestumps。Waterthisstump，asyoutaughtthewoman:thisoneasyoutaughtthewheel-wrights:andthisone，asyoutaughtthedrovers。Whenallthreehavetakenrootandfromthesecharredstumpsapple-treeshavesprungyouwillknowhowtodestroyevilinmen，andwillhaveatonedforallyoursins。’
Havingsaidthis，thehermitreturnedtohiscell。Thegodsonponderedforalongtime，butcouldnotunderstandwhatthehermitmeant。Neverthelesshesettoworktodoashehadbeentold。
Thegodsonwentdowntotheriver，filledhismouthwithwater，andreturning，emptieditontooneofthecharredstumps。Thishedidagainandagain，andwateredallthree-stumps。Whenhewashungryandquitetiredout，hewenttothecelltoasktheoldhermitforsomefood。Heopenedthedoor，andthereuponabenchhesawtheoldmanlyingdead。Thegodsonlookedroundforfood，andhefoundsomedriedbreadandatealittleofit。Thenhetookaspadeandsettoworktodigthehermit’sgrave。Duringthenighthecarriedwaterandwateredthestumps，andinthedayhedugthegrave。Hehadhardlyfinishedthegraveandwasabouttoburythecorpse，whensomepeoplefromthevillagecame，bringingfoodfortheoldman。
Thepeopleheardthattheoldhermitwasdead，andthathehadgiventhegodsonhisblessing，andlefthiminhisplace。Sotheyburiedtheoldman，gavethebreadtheyhadbroughttothegodson，andpromisingtobringhimsomemore，theywentaway。
Thegodsonremainedintheoldman’splace。Therehelived，eatingthefoodpeoplebroughthim，anddoingashehadbeentold:
carryingwaterfromtheriverinhismouthandwateringthecharredstumps。
Helivedthusforayear，andmanypeoplevisitedhim。Hisfamespreadabroad，asaholymanwholivedintheforestandbroughtwaterfromthebottomofahillinhismouthtowatercharredstumpsforthesalvationofhissoul。Peopleflockedtoseehim。Richmerchantsdroveupbringinghimpresents，buthekeptonlythebarestnecessariesforhimself，andgavetherestawaytothepoor。
Andsothegodsonlived:carryingwaterinhismouthandwateringthestumpshalftheday，andrestingandreceivingpeopletheotherhalf。Andhebegantothinkthatthiswasthewayhehadbeentoldtolive，inordertodestroyevilandatoneforhissins。
Hespenttwoyearsinthismanner，notomittingforasingledaytowaterthestumps。Butstillnotoneofthemsprouted。
Oneday，ashesatinhiscell，heheardamanridepast，singingashewent。Thegodsoncameouttoseewhatsortofamanitwas。Hesawastrongyoungfellow，welldressed，andmountedonahandsome，well-saddledhorse。
Thegodsonstoppedhim，andaskedhimwhohewas，andwherehewasgoing。
’Iamarobber，’themananswered，drawingrein。’Irideaboutthehighwayskillingpeople；andthemoreIkill，themerrierarethesongsIsing。’
Thegodsonwashorror-struck，andthought:
’Howcantheevilbedestroyedinsuchamanasthis？Itiseasytospeaktothosewhocometomeoftheirownaccordandconfesstheirsins。Butthisoneboastsoftheevilhedoes。’
Sohesaidnothing，andturnedaway，thinking:’WhatamItodonow？
Thisrobbermaytaketoridingabouthere，andhewillfrightenawaythepeople。Theywillleaveoffcomingtome。Itwillbealosstothem，andIshallnotknowhowtolive。’
Sothegodsonturnedback，andsaidtotherobber:
’Peoplecometomehere，nottoboastoftheirsins，buttorepent，andtoprayforforgiveness。Repentofyoursins，ifyoufearGod；
butifthereisnorepentanceinyourheart，thengoawayandnevercomehereagain。Donottroubleme，anddonotfrightenpeopleawayfromme。Ifyoudonothearken，Godwillpunishyou。’
Therobberlaughed:
’IamnotafraidofGod，andIwillnotlistentoyou。Youarenotmymaster，’saidhe。’Youlivebyyourpiety，andIbymyrobbery。
Weallmustlive。Youmayteachtheoldwomenwhocometoyou，butyouhavenothingtoteachme。AndbecauseyouhaveremindedmeofGod，Iwillkilltwomorementomorrow。Iwouldkillyou，butIdonotwanttosoilmyhandsjustnow。Seethatinfutureyoukeepoutofmyway！’
Havingutteredthisthreat，therobberrodeaway。Hedidnotcomeagain，andthegodsonlivedinpeace，asbefore，foreightmoreyears。