Abba Ammon needed to cross the river. He found a ship ready to sail and sat down next to it. At this time, another ship sailed, heading to the same place, and the people on it began to call him:
- Sail with us, Abba! He answered:
“I will only board a public ship.”
Abba took with him a bunch of palm branches. Having boarded the ship, he sat down in the corner and began to weave the rope, then unraveling it again. He was engaged in this occupation until the public ship set sail and he crossed to the other side.
The brothers bowed to him and asked:
- Why did you do this? The elder replied:
- So as not to walk around preoccupied with haste.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru