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　　WhenmycomradeandDamianhadseenthebearknockmedownandbeginworryingme，theyrushedtotherescue。Mycomrade，inhishaste，blundered，andinsteadoffollowingthetroddenpath，ranintothedeepsnowandfelldown。Whilehewasstrugglingoutofthesnow，thebearwasgnawingatme。ButDamianjustashewas，withoutagun，andwithonlyastickinhishand，rushedalongthepathshouting:

　　’He’seatingthemaster！He’seatingthemaster！’

　　Andasheran，hecalledtothebear:

　　’Ohyouidiot！Whatareyoudoing？Leaveoff！Leaveoff！’

　　Thebearobeyedhim，andleavingmeranaway。WhenIrose，therewasasmuchbloodonthesnowasifasheephadbeenkilled，andthefleshhunginragsabovemyeyes，thoughinmyexcitementIfeltnopain。

　　Mycomradehadcomeupbythistime，andtheotherpeoplecollectedround:theylookedatmywound，andputsnowonit。

　　ButI，forgettingaboutmywounds，onlyasked:

　　’Where’sthebear？Whichwayhashegone？’

　　SuddenlyIheard:

　　’Hereheis！Hereheis！’

　　Andwesawthebearagainrunningatus。Weseizedourguns，butbeforeanyonehadtimetofirehehadrunpast。Hehadgrownferocious，andwantedtognawmeagain，butseeingsomanypeoplehetookfright。Wesawbyhistrackthathisheadwasbleedingandwewantedtofollowhimup；but，asmywoundshadbecomeverypainful，wewent，instead，tothetowntofindadoctor。

　　Thedoctorstitchedupmywoundswithsilk，andtheysoonbegantoheal。

　　Amonthlaterwewenttohuntthatbearagain，butIdidnotgetachanceoffinishinghim。Hewouldnotcomeoutofthecircle，butwentroundandroundgrowlinginaterriblevoice。

　　Damiankilledhim。Thebear’slowerjawhadbeenbroken，andoneofhisteethknockedoutbymybullet。

　　Hewasahugecreature，andhadsplendidblackfur。

　　Ihadhimstuffed，andhenowliesinmyroom。Thewoundsonmyforeheadhealedupsothatthescarscanscarcelybeseen。

　　Writtenabout1872。

　　whaymenlivebyWHATMENLIVEBY

　　’Weknowthatwehavepassedoutofdeathintolife，becausewelovethebrethren。Hethatlovethnotabidethindeath。’——I

　　EpistleSt。Johniii。14。

　　’Whosohaththeworld’sgoods，andbeholdethhisbrotherinneed，andshuttethuphiscompassionfromhim，howdoththeloveofGodabideinhim？Mylittlechildren，letusnotloveinword，neitherwiththetongue；butindeedandtruth。’——iii。17-18。

　　’LoveisofGod；andeveryonethatlovethisbegottenofGod，andknowethGod。HethatlovethnotknowethnotGod；forGodislove。’——iv。7-8。

　　’NomanhathbeheldGodatanytime；ifweloveoneanother，Godabidethinus。’——iv。12。

　　’Godislove；andhethatabidethinloveabidethinGod，andGodabidethinhim。’——iv。16。

　　’Ifamansay，IloveGod，andhatethhisbrother，heisaliar；forhethatlovethnothisbrotherwhomhehathseen，howcanheloveGodwhomhehathnotseen？’——iv。20。

　　ASHOEMAKERnamedSimon，whohadneitherhousenorlandofhisown，livedwithhiswifeandchildreninapeasant’shut，andearnedhislivingbyhiswork。Workwascheapbutbreadwasdear，andwhatheearnedhespentforfood。Themanandhiswifehadbutonesheepskincoatbetweenthemforwinterwear，andeventhatwasworntotatters，andthiswasthesecondyearhehadbeenwantingtobuysheep-skinsforanewcoat。BeforewinterSimonsavedupalittlemoney:athree-roublenotelayhiddeninhiswife’sbox，andfiveroublesandtwentykopeks[6]

　　wereowedhimbycustomersinthevillage。

　　Soonemorninghepreparedtogotothevillagetobuythesheep-skins。

　　Heputonoverhisshirthiswife’swaddednankeenjacket，andoverthatheputhisownclothcoat。Hetookthethree-roublenoteinhispocket，cuthimselfasticktoserveasastaff，andstartedoffafterbreakfast。’I’llcollectthefiveroublesthatareduetome，’thoughthe，’addthethreeIhavegot，andthatwillbeenoughtobuysheep-skinsforthewintercoat。’

　　Hecametothevillageandcalledatapeasant’shut，butthemanwasnotathome。Thepeasant’swifepromisedthatthemoneyshouldbepaidnextweek，butshewouldnotpayitherself。ThenSimoncalledonanotherpeasant，butthisonesworehehadnomoney，andwouldonlypaytwentykopekswhichheowedforapairofbootsSimonhadmended。Simonthentriedtobuythesheep-skinsoncredit，butthedeaderwouldnottrusthim。

　　’Bringyourmoney，’saidhe，’thenyoumayhaveyourpickoftheskins。

　　Weknowwhatdebt-collectingislike。’

　　Soallthebusinesstheshoemakerdidwastogetthetwentykopeksforbootshehadmended，andtotakeapairoffeltbootsapeasantgavehimtosolewithleather。

　　Simonfeltdownhearted。Hespentthetwentykopeksonv&oacute；dka，andstartedhomewardswithouthavingboughtanyskins。Inthemorninghehadfeltthefrost；butnow，afterdrinkingthev&oacute；dka，hefeltwarmevenwithoutasheep-skincoat。Hetrudgedalong，strikinghisstickonthefrozenearthwithonehand，swingingthefeltbootswiththeother，andtalkingtohimself。

　　’I’mquitewarm，’saidhe，’thoughIhavenosheepskincoat。I’vehadadrop，anditrunsthroughallmyveins。Ineednosheepskins。Igoalonganddon’tworryaboutanything。That’sthesortofmanIam！WhatdoIcare？Icanlivewithoutsheepskins。Idon’tneedthem。Mywifewillfret，tobesure。And，trueenough，it’sashame；oneworksalldaylong，andthendoesnotgetpaid。Stopabit！Ifyoudon’tbringthatmoneyalong，sureenoughI’llskinyou，blessedifIdon’t。How’sthat？Hepaystwentykopeksatatime！WhatcanIdowithtwentykopeks:Drinkit——that’sallonecando！Hardup，hesaysheis！Sohemaybe——butwhataboutme？Youhavehouse，andcattle，andeverything；

　　I’veonlywhatIstandupin！Youhavecornofyourowngrowing；Ihavetobuyeverygrain。DowhatIwill，Imustspendthreeroubleseveryweekforbreadalone。Icomehomeandfindthebreadallusedup，andIhavetoforkoutanotherroubleandahalf。Sojustyoupayupwhatyouowe，andnononsenseaboutit！’

　　Bythistimehehadnearlyreachedtheshrineatthebendoftheroad。

　　Lookingup，hesawsomethingwhitishbehindtheshrine。

　　Thedaylightwasfading，andtheshoemakerpeeredatthethingwithoutbeingabletomakeoutwhatitwas。’Therewasnowhitestoneherebefore。Canitbeanox？It’snotlikeanox。Ithasaheadlikeaman，butit’stoowhite；andwhatcouldamanbedoingthere？’

　　Hecamecloser，sothatitwasclearlyvisible。Tohissurpriseitreallywasaman，aliveordead，sittingnaked，leaningmotionlessagainsttheshrine。Terrorseizedtheshoemaker，andhethought，’Someonehaskilledhim，strippedhim，andlefthimhere。IfI

　　meddleIshallsurelygetintotrouble。’

　　Sotheshoemakerwenton。Hepassedinfrontoftheshrinesothathecouldnotseetheman。Whenhehadgonesomeway，helookedback，andsawthatthemanwasnolongerleaningagainsttheshrine，butwasmovingasiflookingtowardshim。Theshoemakerfeltmorefrightenedthanbefore，andthought，’ShallIgobacktohim，orshallIgoon？IfIgonearhimsomethingdreadfulmayhappen。Whoknowswhothefellowis？Hehasnotcomehereforanygood。IfIgonearhimhemayjumpupandthrottleme，andtherewillbenogettingaway。Orifnot，he’dstillbeaburdenonone’shands。WhatcouldIdowithanakedman？Icouldn’tgivehimmylastclothes。Heavenonlyhelpmetogetaway！’

　　Sotheshoemakerhurriedon，leavingtheshrinebehindhim——whensuddenlyhisconsciencesmotehimandhestoppedintheroad。

　　’Whatareyoudoing，Simon？’saidhetohimself。’Themanmaybedyingofwant，andyouslippastafraid。Haveyougrownsorichastobeafraidofrobbers？Ah，Simon，shameonyou！’

　　Soheturnedbackandwentuptotheman。

　　Simonapproachedthestranger，lookedathim，andsawthathewasayoungman，fit，withnobruisesonhisbody，onlyevidentlyfreezingandfrightened，andhesatthereleaningbackwithoutlookingupatSimon，asiftoofainttolifthiseyes。Simonwentclosetohim，andthenthemanseemedtowakeup。Turninghishead，heopenedhiseyesandlookedintoSimon’sface。

　　ThatonelookwasenoughtomakeSimonfondoftheman。Hethrewthefeltbootsonthegroundundidhissash，laiditontheboots，andtookoffhisclothcoat。

　　’It’snotatimefortalking，’saidhe。’Come，putthiscoatonatonce！’

　　AndSimontookthemanbytheelbowsandhelpedhimtorise。Ashestoodthere，Simonsawthathisbodywascleanandingoodcondition，hishandsandfeetshapely，andhisfacegoodandkind。Hethrewhiscoatovertheman’sshouldersbutthelattercouldnotfindthesleeves。Simonguidedhisarmsintothem，anddrawingthecoatwellontrappeditcloselyabouthim，tyingthesashroundtheman’swaist。

　　Simoneventookoffhistorncaptoputitontheman’shead，butthenhisownheadfeltcold，andhethought:’I’mquitebald，whilehehaslongcurlyhair。’Soheputhiscaponhisownheadagain。

　　’Itwillbebettertogivehimsomethingforhisfeet，’

　　thoughthe；andhemadethemansitdown，andhelpedhimtoputonthefeltboots，saying，’There，friend，nowmoveaboutandwarmyourself。Othermatterscanbesettledlateron。Canyouwalk？’

　　ThemanstoodupandlookedkindlyatSimon，butcouldnotsayaword。