Once upon a time there was a monastery in a village and a monk and a servant lived in it. The monk was already in old age, and the servant completely devoted himself to serving his mentor. Every day, as soon as the sun rose, he went to the village for alms, and when he returned, he fed his mentor, swept the yard, carried water and carried out many different errands.
Returning one day after collecting alms, the servant saw something shiny on the road. I came closer, and lo and behold, it was a piece of gold. The servant was delighted, hid the gold in his pocket and walked on. Returning to the monastery, he began his duties. But this time he performed them without the usual diligence, and this did not escape the monk’s attention.
- What's happened? – he started asking questions to the servant. - Why are you so distracted today?
- Oh teacher! - answered the servant filled with delight. – Something extraordinary happened to me! It’s hard to even convey!
- Yes, speak finally, you stupid one, you will rejoice later!
– When I was walking out of the village, I found gold on the road! - he said, handing the monk a small shiny piece. - So I’m happy.
- There is no particular merit in this. Stop jubilating in vain! You better sit down and eat!
The servant began to eat, but he himself was still thinking about gold and did not notice how he put a huge handful of rice into his mouth. He began to cough, began to choke, and the rice remained in a lump in his throat and would not pass here or there.
The monk looked sternly at the servant.
- What's happened? What obscene sounds do you make?
- I hiccup.
“Are you happy that you found gold?” And I don’t believe that you found it - you simply stole it! – the monk said angrily.
The servant was indignant:
- Oh teacher, hic-hic! Don't make false accusations against me! I'm not capable of stealing!
- Don't talk nonsense! - the monk interrupted him. “Just now a peasant came and complained that you stole a piece of gold from him.”
The servant became even more angry than before:
- Hic-hic! O teacher! Hic hic. Never in my life have I ever taken someone else's. I can swear by holy water!
- Well, how did the hiccups go?
- Oh teacher, don’t change the conversation to something else. Prove that I stole.
- Just wait with your evidence. Tell me better, have the hiccups gone?
- Yes, it passed, but what does it matter?
- I know that you are a righteous and pious person. But in order for you to get rid of hiccups, I needed to make you angry, and so you stopped hiccups,” the monk said with a smile.
The servant cleared his mind, understood what was happening, smiled and asked forgiveness for his intemperance.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru