Onenightthegodsonwateredhisstumps，and，afterreturningtohiscell，hesatdowntorest，andwatchedthefootpath，wonderingifsomeonewouldsooncome。Butnoonecameatallthatday。Hesatalonetillevening，feelinglonelyanddull，andhethoughtabouthispastlife。Horememberedhowtherobberhadreproachedhimforlivingbyhispiety；andhereflectedonhiswayoflife。
’Iamnotlivingasthehermitcommandedmeto，’thoughthe。’Thehermitlaidapenanceuponme，andIhavemadebothalivingandfameoutofit；andhavebeensotemptedbyit，thatnowIfeeldullwhenpeopledonotcometome；andwhentheydocome，I
onlyrejoicebecausetheypraisemyholiness。Thatisnothowoneshouldlive。Ihavebeenledastraybyloveofpraise。Ihavenotatonedformypastsins，buthaveaddedfreshones。Iwillgotoanotherpartoftheforestwherepeoplewillnotfindme；andIwilllivesoastoatoneformyoldsinsandcommitnofreshones。’
Havingcometothisconclusionthegodsonfilledabagwithdriedbreadand，takingaspade，leftthecellandstartedforaravineheknewofinalonelyspot，wherehecoulddighimselfacaveandhidefromthepeople。
Ashewasgoingalongwithhisbagandhisspadehesawtherobberridingtowardshim。Thegodsonwasfrightened，andstartedtorunaway，buttherobberovertookhim。
’Whereareyougoing？’askedtherobber。
Thegodsontoldhimhewishedtogetawayfromthepeopleandlivesomewherewherenoonewouldcometohim。Thissurprisedtherobber。
’Whatwillyouliveon，ifpeopledonotcometoseeyou？’askedhe。
Thegodsonhadnoteventhoughtofthis，buttherobber’squestionremindedhimthatfoodwouldbenecessary。
’OnwhatGodpleasestogiveme，’hereplied。
Therobbersaidnothing，androdeaway。
’WhydidInotsayanythingtohimabouthiswayoflife？’thoughtthegodson。’Hemightrepentnow。To-dayheseemsinagentlermood，andhasnotthreatenedtokillme。’Andheshoutedtotherobber:
’Youhavestilltorepentofyoursins。YoucannotescapefromGod。’
Therobberturnedhishorse，anddrawingaknifefromhisgirdlethreatenedthehermitwithit。Thelatterwasalarmed，andranawayfurtherintotheforest。
Therobberdidnotfollowhim，butonlyshouted:
’TwiceIhaveletyouoff，oldman，butnexttimeyoucomeinmywayIwillkillyou！’
Havingsaidthis，herodeaway。Intheeveningwhenthegodsonwenttowaterhisstumps——oneofthemwassprouting！Alittleappletreewasgrowingoutofit。
Afterhidinghimselffromeverybody，thegodsonlivedallalone。Whenhissupplyofbreadwasexhausted，hethought:’NowImustgoandlookforsomerootstoeat。’Hehadnotgonefar，however，beforehesawabagofdriedbreadhangingonabranch。Hetookitdown，andaslongasitlastedheliveduponthat。
Whenhehadeatenitall，hefoundanotherbagfulonthesamebranch。
Sohelivedon，hisonlytroublebeinghisfearoftherobber。
Wheneverheheardtherobberpassinghehidthinking:
’HemaykillmebeforeIhavehadtimetoatoneformysins。’
Inthiswayhelivedfortenmoreyears。Theoneapple-treecontinuedtogrow，buttheothertwostumpsremainedexactlyastheywere。
Onemorningthegodsonroseearlyandwenttohiswork。Bythetimehehadthoroughlymoistenedthegroundroundthestumps，hewastiredoutandsatdowntorest。Ashesattherehethoughttohimself:
’Ihavesinned，andhavebecomeafraidofdeath。ItmaybeGod’swillthatIshouldredeemmysinsbydeath。’
Hardlyhadthisthoughtcrossedhismindwhenheheardtherobberridingup，swearingatsomething。Whenthegodsonheardthis，hethought:
’NoevilandnogoodcanbefallmefromanyonebutfromGod。’
Andhewenttomeettherobber。Hesawtherobberwasnotalone，butbehindhimonthesaddlesatanotherman，gagged，andboundhandandfoot。Themanwasdoingnothing，buttherobberwasabusinghimviolently。Thegodsonwentupandstoodinfrontofthehorse。
’Whereareyoutakingthisman？’heasked。
’Intotheforest，’repliedtherobber。’Heisamerchant’sson，andwillnottellmewherehisfather’smoneyishidden。Iamgoingtofloghimtillhetellsme。’
Andtherobberspurredonhishorse，butthegodsoncaughtholdofhisbridle，andwouldnotlethimpass。
’Letthismango！’hesaid。
Therobbergrewangry，andraisedhisarmtostrike。
’WouldyoulikeatasteofwhatIamgoingtogivethisman？HaveI
notpromisedtokillyou？Letgo！’
Thegodsonwasnotafraid。
’Youshallnotgo，’saidhe。’Idonotfearyou。IfearnoonebutGod，andHewillsthatIshouldnotletyoupass。Setthismanfree！’
Therobberfrowned，andsnatchingouthisknife，cuttheropeswithwhichthemerchant’ssonwasbound，andsethimfree。
’Getawaybothofyou，’hesaid，’andbewarehouryoucrossmypathagain。’
Themerchant’ssonjumpeddownandranaway。Therobberwasabouttorideon，butthegodsonstoppedhimagain，andagainspoketohimaboutgivinguphisevillife。Therobberheardhimtotheendinsilence，andthenrodeawaywithoutaword。
Thenextmorningthegodsonwenttowaterhisstumpsandlo！thesecondstumpwassprouting。Asecondyoungapple-treehadbeguntogrow。
Anothertenyearshadgoneby。Thegodsonwassittingquietlyoneday，desiringnothing，fearingnothing，andwithaheartfullofjoy。
’WhatblessingsGodshowersonmen！’thoughthe。’Yethowneedlesslytheytormentthemselves。Whatpreventsthemfromlivinghappily？’
Andrememberingalltheevilinmen，andthetroublestheybringuponthemselves，hisheartfilledwithpity。
’ItiswrongofmetoliveasIdo，’hesaidtohimself。’ImustgoandteachotherswhatIhavemyselflearnt。’
Hardlyhadhethoughtthis，whenheheardtherobberapproaching。Helethimpass，thinking:
’Itisnogoodtalkingtohim，hewillnotunderstand。’
Thatwashisfirstthought，buthochangedhismindandwentoutintotheroad。Hesawthattherobberwasgloomy，andwasridingwithdowncasteyes。Thegodsonlookedathim，pitiedhim，andrunninguptohimlaidhishanduponhisknee。
’Brother，dear，’saidhe，’havesomepityonyourownsoul！InyoulivesthespiritofGod。Yousuffer，andtormentothers，andlayupmoreandmoresufferingforthefuture。YetGodlovesyou，andhaspreparedsuchblessingsforyou。Donotruinyourselfutterly。
Changeyourlife！’
Therobberfrownedandturnedaway。
’Leavemealone！’saidhe。
Butthegodsonheldtherobberstillfaster，andbegantoweep。
Thentherobberliftedhiseyesandlookedatthegodson。Helookedathimforalongtime，andalightingfromhishorse，fellonhiskneesatthegodson’sfeet。
’Youhaveovercomeme，oldman，’saidhe。’FortwentyyearsIhaveresistedyou，butnowyouhaveconqueredme。Dowhatyouwillwithme，forIhavenomorepowerovermyself。Whenyoufirsttriedtopersuademe，itonlyangeredmemore。OnlywhenyouhidyourselffrommendidIbegintoconsideryourwords:forI
sawthenthatyouaskednothingofthemforyourself。SincethatdayIhavebroughtfoodforyou，hangingituponthetree。’
Thenthegodsonrememberedthatthewomangothertablecleanonlyaftershehadrinsedhercloth。Inthesameway，itwasonlywhenheceasedcaringabouthimself，andcleansedhisownheart，thathewasabletocleansetheheartsofothers。
Therobberwenton。
’WhenIsawthatyoudidnotfeardeath，myheartturned。’
Thenthegodsonrememberedthatthewheel-wrightscouldnotbendtherimsuntiltheyhadfixedtheirblock。So，nottillhehadcastawaythefearofdeathandmadehislifefastinGod，couldhesubduethisman’sunrulyheart。
