🧚 Opening, part 15 · page 2

And they sat there for a long time, and became very hungry, for they had nothing to eat.81

“Let’s all begin singing,” said the Vixen, “and we will eat the animal who has the thinnest voice.”82

So the Wolf struck in a deep gruff voice, Aw, aw, aw!83 And the Pig followed in a tone just a shade softer, Oo, oo, oo!84 But the Vixen came in fine and sharp, Eh, eh, eh; whilst the Hare trilled the thinnest Ee, ee, ee in the world.85 The Squirrel also sang Ee, ee, ee!86 So the animals at once set to tearing up the Squirrel and Hare, and ate them down to their bones.87

Next day the Vixen said: “We will eat the person with the fattest voice.”88 That was the Wolf with his great gruff Aw, aw, aw!89 So they ate him up.90 The Vixen ate up the flesh and kept the heart and the bowels.91 And for three days she sat and ate them.92

And the Pig then asked her: “What are you eating?—give me some!”93

“Oh, Pig, I am eating my own flesh.94 You tear your belly up and munch it yourself.”95

So the Pig did, and the Vixen feasted on him.96

The Vixen then was left as the last person in the pit.97

Did she climb up, or is she there still?98 I don’t know, really!99

THE POOR WIDOW100

A very long time ago Christ and the twelve Apostles walked on earth.101 They went about like simple people, and nobody could have known that it was Christ and the twelve Apostles.102

Once they came to a village and they asked a rich peasant for a bed.103 The rich peasant would not let them in, telling them: “Over there there lives a widow who receives beggars; go to her.”104 So they asked the widow for a night’s rest, and the widow was poor, poor of the poorest; she had nothing at all.105 She had only a very little crust of bread and a mere handful of flour, and she also had a cow, but the cow had no milk.106

“Yes, fathers,” the widow said, “my little hut is very small, and there is nowhere to lie down.”107

“Never mind; we can manage somehow!”108

So the widow received the wanderers, and did not know how to feed them.109

“How shall I feed you?” the widow said.110 “I only have one little crust of bread and a mere handful of flour, and my cow is calving and has no milk.111 I have to wait for her to calve.112 You cannot look for bread and salt here.”113

“Well, woman,” the Saviour said, “have no fear—we shall all be satisfied.114 Give us all you have.115 We will eat the crust.116 Everything, woman, comes of God.”117

So they sat down to table and began to feast, and they were all fed on the one crust of bread.118 There were even crumbs left behind.119

“Lo and behold! woman, you said that there was nothing to feed us on,” the Saviour said.120 “Look, we are all satisfied, and there are some crumbs over.121 Everything, woman, comes of God!”122 And so Christ and the Apostles stayed with the poor widow.123

In the morning the widow told her sister: “Go and scrape up any flour you can find in the corn-bin; possibly we may make a tiny pancake so as to feed our guests.”124 The girl went and brought up a clay pot full.125 The old woman was not astonished when so much came—she simply took it as it came and started making a pancake.126 And the girl told her: “There is as much again in the corn-bin.”127 So the woman cooked the pancake for the Saviour and the twelve Apostles, telling them: “Come and eat of the good fare, kinsmen, which God has sent.”128 And so they ate and bade farewell to the aged widow and went on the road.129

And when they were on the way there was a grey wolf sitting on a knoll.130 He bowed low to Christ and asked for food.131

“Lord,” he bayed, “I am hungry.132 Lord, I should like to eat.”133

“Go,” said the Saviour to him, “to the old widow and eat her cow with the calf.”134

And the Apostles were astonished and said: “Lord, why do you bid him snatch the poor widow’s cow?135 She received you so kindly and fed us, and she was so happy in the expectation of the calf, for then the cow would have had milk, which is food for every home.”136

“That is how it must be,” the Saviour replied.137 And they went on.138

The wolf ran and snatched up the poor widow’s cow, and when the old woman saw this she said contentedly: “The Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken away.139 Hallowed be His will!”140

So Christ and the Apostles went on, and they met a keg with money in it on the way.141 The Saviour said: “Keg, go and roll to the rich peasant’s door.”142

And again the Apostles were astonished.143

“Lord, it would have been better had you bidden the keg roll to the poor widow’s door, for the rich man has so much.”144

“That is how it must be,” the Saviour said.145 And they went on.146

And the keg with the money in it rolled straight to the rich peasant’s door, and the peasant took and hid the money and was still discontented.147 “Surely the Lord might have sent me more,” he mused.148

Christ and the Apostles went on their way and travelled still further.149 At midday the sun was very hot, and the Apostles wanted to drink.150

“Lord,” they said, “we should like to drink.”151

“Go,” replied the Saviour, “and on this road you will find a well.152 There take your fill.”153

So the Apostles went on and on and on, and they saw a well.154 When they looked into it there was filth and dirt, toads, snakes and frogs, and everything vile, and the Apostles would not drink of it, and swiftly returned to the Saviour.155

“Why did you not drink the water?”156 Christ asked them.157

“As you, Lord, told us, the well was there, but it was so horrible that we could hardly look into it.”158

Christ answered never a word.159

And they went forward on their road.160 They went on and on and on, and the Apostles again said to the Saviour: “We are thirsty.”161

So the Saviour sent them in another direction.162 “There you will see a well.163 Go and drink your fill.”164

The Apostles went to the other well, and there it was, beautiful—oh, so delightful!165 Enchanted trees were there and birds of paradise.166 They did not ever want to leave it, and they drank of it, and the water was so pure, so chilled, and so sweet.167 And they came back.168

“Why have you been so long?” the Saviour asked them.169

“Why, we only took a short drink,” the Apostles answered, “and we were only away three little minutes.”170

“You were not there three little minutes, but three whole years,” the Lord answered.171 “As it was in the first well, so ill shall in the next world deal by the rich peasant; and as it was in the second well, so good shall be the poor widow’s fare.”172