A monk and a servant lived in the same monastery. A servant in the village had a bosom friend who once invited the servant to his birthday.
After tasting the treats and wishing his friend all the best, the servant set off on his way back. On the way, he came across a lake in which there were crabs. The lake was shallow, the water in it was clean and transparent, and the crabs lay at the bottom, clearly in the palm of your hand. The servant looked at them and looked, and he really wanted to try the crabs. He wanted it so much that he even started drooling! However, the servant was well aware of the commandment that one should not encroach on the life of living beings. He walked and walked in the water, but still did not dare to catch a crab.
But a commandment is a commandment, and appetite is appetite. The thought of crabs haunted him, and he tried to figure out how to cleverly get around the forbidden limit. He thought and thought and came up with an idea!
- Oh my crab friends! - the servant proclaimed. - I feel incredibly sorry for you: the lake in which you have to live is very shallow! But don’t be upset: I will save you, I will help you move into deep waters! And, having collected a full bag of crabs, the cunning blasphemer calmly continued on his way. Arriving at the monastery, he placed the crabs in a pot of water. He put another pot on the fire. Soon the water in it began to boil. Taking the lid off the pot and placing a stick across the hole, he said:
- Oh my crab friends! You seem to be thoroughly bored with sitting in the potty. Take a walk along this bridge!
The crabs rushed in an endless line along the crossbar, but, barely reaching its middle, they invariably fell into the boiling water. Finally there was only one large crab left. So he followed the beaten path, and, oddly enough, a happier fate befell him.
“You are the biggest,” said the annoyed servant, having caught the crab. “And you’re probably more tired than others.” Take one more walk before you go home.
However, the second time the big crab failed the test. Thick steam enveloped him, and, losing his balance, the crab flew headlong into the pot.
And the cunning servant, having deceived God around his finger, began the meal with pleasure.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru