’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。ButashelookedherecognizedVasí；lyKoudryashó；f，thethief，drivingintothefieldandbeginningtoloadthesheavesontohiscart。Thismadethegodsonangry，andhecalledout:
’Father，thesheavesarebeingstolenfromourfield！’
Hisfather，whowasoutwiththehorsesinthenight-pasture，wokeup。
’Idreamtthesheaveswerebeingstolen，’saidhe。’Iwilljustridedownandsee。’
Sohegotonahorseandrodeouttothefield。FindingVasí；lythere，hecalledtogetherotherpeasantstohelphim，andVasí；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。Vasí；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。
